A Royal Fool for You
by Shanzia
Summary: A story about the bond of a young princess, Blaze, and her jester, Silver; expressing their lifetime of experiences, both good and bad, that leads their eternal friendship to a greater measure.  Silvaze. NOT a oneshot.
1. The Jester

**A Royal Fool for You**

_**WARNING; Contains fluffy Silvaze! No, no lemons or anything of the sort. Ew.**_

_**There is a hint of Christianity within the text- I urge you **__**not**__** to flame whatsoever. (I've fashioned this story to be old-English like… so yeah. They had a lot of religious factors in their stories. I'm also not afraid to state it, so.)**_

_**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SONIC THE HEDGEHOG OR ANY RELATED CHARACTERS.**_

* * *

><p><strong>The Jester;<br>**

"Honey, don't cry…"

"… I-I'll try."

The royal blue lion caressed his young, purple daughter warmly, stroking the beautiful long hair of the kit. The both of them sat wearily on the king's throne, sharing each others sympathy. "Mommy will be okay, Blaze. I promise you…"

The little kitten's piercing gold eyes twinkled with hope as she looked up at her father lovingly. "Really?" she asked between sniffles.

"Of course, dear, I'm certain of it."

"Okay, daddy… I trust you."

Blaze nuzzled the fuzzy material of her father's lavish robe, breathing in his scent and soon calming down. The lion looked at his daughter with great sadness, conjuring up plan in his head in order to help Blaze through his wife's (her mother) illness.

"Sir!" a voice called out, "This little boy was found near the garden."

"… Come."

The sound of footsteps echoed around the throne room; apparently the boy walking down wore shoes with a slight heel. A small, silvery hedgehog dressed in rags came into view as he walked into the open, ostensibly shaking with fear.

"State your business, little one." The king ordered unpretentiously.

"Your Majesty…" stated the voice of the young boy, which cracked a little. "I... have nothing. I ask for your kindness, your mercy… please? Is there something I could do for you?"

"Your loyalty is astonishing for a boy of…?"

"Eight."

"Eight years! The exact equivalent of my own, here." The lion laughed exuberantly, allowing his daughter to sit comfortably in his grasp.

"Oh, the princess is eight, too? T-The pleasure is all mine, m-miss." The silvery boy stammered, expressing his gratitude in an elegant bow. Blaze shyly turned away, burying her little face into her father's chest. Silver hesitated, frowning to see the young kit reject his kindness.

"At ease, little one; she's just a little shaken by her mother's illness; God willing she'll make it through." The king explained, releasing a sigh of despair.

"That's terrible." The hedgehog claimed, "She'll be in my thoughts as well as my prayers."

"Thank you, lad; I appreciate your support." The king's gaze shifted between his daughter and the boy, pondering for the longest time.

"Young man, how sharp is your wit?"

"Pardon me?"

"Are you able to display any sort of humor? Perhaps this will cheer my daughter up…"

Blaze, seemingly flustered, glanced at the hedgehog in confusion. The silvery hedgehog gulped, timidly clamping his hands together behind his back. "In all honesty, sir, I think the tip of that guard's sword is sharper than my wit…" he stated confoundedly.

Blaze giggled a little, her ears perking up at the comment. "I wouldn't be sure about that…" she peeped, straightening her previously slouched posture. The boy's attitude brightened, glad to know he could as least pull out a statement from her.

"Well, young man, please state your name." The lion demanded, although he favored a kindly essence.

"Silver the Hedgehog, your Majesty."

"Very well, then! Silver, I offer you to take the place as our Jester; your job will be to accompany my daughter if she ever needs you."

"I-I- uh, yes, I do! I accept this incredible offer!"

"It has been declared! Young man, you will be the light of hope for my daughter… help her through these times." The king declared with a booming voice, causing the little kit to shudder in his grasp.

"I'll do everything I can, your Majesty." Silver replied gratefully, the shine of his golden eyes aligning perfectly with Blaze's.

"My faithful guards will lead you through the corridors of my palace, and they shall explain to you the requirements of your duty. You are dismissed."

"T-Thank you; and I promise you, on behalf of my faith and determination, I won't let you down!" the hedgehog exclaimed proudly, waving to both the king and Blaze quickly before running down the hall.

"Daddy…" Blaze whined, "I don't need a Jester! Why did you do this?" She droned, crossing her arms.

"At least try to laugh, dear… I detest the fact I cannot spend as much time with you like I'd hope; which is why I entrusted this young lad in helping your mood… plus, this will help contain these powers of yours." The lion's large, gloved paw gently touched the small gem on her forehead, smiling warmly.

"… Okay, daddy, whatever you say." Blaze answered resentfully, sliding off his lap and patting down her long, dark-purple dress.

"Good. Now rest, m'dear… it's been a long day."

Blaze nodded her head in agreement, walking away with mixed emotions.

* * *

><p><em>Inside of Blaze's room…<em>

Blaze threw herself onto her bed after changing into a nightgown, weeping softly into her bright pink pillow. Her accumulated sadness was being unleashed harshly into her pillow; the tears staining both her face and her pillow as she sat up, hugging it tightly and attempting to calm herself.

A soft thud jolted her from her feverish sobbing. "A-A moment!" she whimpered, using her long sleeves to wipe off her tear-stained cheeks. Blaze hopped off her bed and collected her emotions.

"Yes?" the kit asked as she pulled her door open. "Oh, it's you… Silver, why are you-?"

The hedgehog, appearing distressed, gave faint smile. "Princess." He greeted single-worded. Blaze uttered out a small chuckle, covering her smiling lips.

Silver wore now, instead of his previous rags, a blue tunic accompanied with yellow ruffs around the collar with little bells at the tips; and equally as blue and yellow boots ruffled with the same. The quills that sprouted from his head, even, had small little bells to complete his little outfit.

"I look silly." Silver admitted sheepishly.

"I'm not going to lie, if you're looking for a defending statement." The cat snipped, crossing her arms. "What is it that you need?"

"Nothing, Princess, I'm here to cheer you up! Or, so I've been told."

Shrugging her shoulders, Blaze allowed the hedgehog to enter.

"You have a beautiful room, Princess." The hedgehog complimented, his eyes flitting about the lavishly designed room.

"Thank you."

Silver smiled and turned to the cat, quite unsure of what to do next. The guards explained to him how crucial his job was, and that the little kit's mood would reflect his work. They didn't bother to tell him how to start!

"Are you here to cheer me up, or waste my time?" Blaze asked harshly, impatiently waiting for the hedgehog to stop thinking and start conversing.

"Uh, o-oh, I apologize, Princess."

"Okay?"

Silver was caught in a rather desperate situation, beads of sweat beginning to form on his eye ridge. "W-What's funnier than a… fork?" he uttered out, biting his lip with little to no hope.

Confused, Blaze blinked her eyes. "A fork, a fork; how is silverware in _any _way amusing?" she asked, a flash of irritation gleaming in her eyes.

"At least they're more amusing than my jokes!" he blurted, pouting his lips.

Blaze smiled, allowing a chuckle to pass by. Silver grinned with satisfaction. A sudden realization hit him; "Why is it that you laugh at my self-directed insults?"

A frown arched the cat's lips. "I'm sorry, hedgehog; my dad says I can be a little serious for my age."

"Its okay, Princess, I understand."

Blaze sat down on her bed and began swinging her feet in boredom. "So, Silver, why were you so willing to work here? Isn't a life out there much more… free?" the young princess asked curiously.

"A free life, you say? I beg to differ… work is what the people live for out there; at least in the out-lands, where poverty reigns the citizens."

"That sounds horrific."

"Yes… but, Princess, I'm not here to discuss my past with you; I'm so much happier, now, to assist a pretty princess like you."

Quite oddly, a little pump of warmth flooded her cheeks. "Thank you, Silver…"

The little hedgehog nodded, hopping onto the bed and sitting next to her. "So, Princess, what is it you like to do? Amusement isn't just about jokes."

"I don't know… I usually sit here and study for my private lessons."

"Don't you ever play? Or, do you play dolls?"

Blaze shyly pulled a small, pink doll from behind her, nodding her head. "She's my favorite." The little cat told him, "I play with her all the time… but it seems foolish to do so, now that I look at it."

"Foolish? Don't be silly, Princess!" Silver chortled, gently taking the doll from her hands. "She could be, ah, an amazing super knight like Shadow!" he acclaimed, moving the doll's arms in a fighting fashion.

"No, no; you're the silly one, Silver!" Blaze giggled, snatching the doll back. "She's a princess, like me! So she gets to act regally like I do!"

"Oh! I get it; well she makes a very pretty princess!"

Silver aimlessly looked around the room, and then to his hands. He used his index finger and middle finger to form 'legs' and chuckled. "This'll be the prince!" he stated, his fingers 'walking' towards the doll.

"Hello, good sir!" Blaze spoke in a high pitch, animating the doll by moving its arms and legs.

"Hello, m'lady!" Silver responded, deepening his voice; which resulted in a line of coughs.

Blaze laughed loudly, using the doll to pat his back. "Ow, ow!" she mocked with the doll, laughing harder.

After recovering his breath, he began sharing her enjoyment, laughing with her. Breathing heavily, Silver punched his chest lightly and cleared his throat.

"That was fun!" he hollered, "You can be a really funny person, Princess!"

Blaze's laugh subsided, her smile stretching far across her white muzzle. "Yeah… I feel very different from how I usually feel. Laughter is certainly a good thing."

"I'll say…"

"Thank you, Silver; you're a dependable Jester. You may visit me at any time!" the cat told the blushing hedgehog, who seemed more than thrilled to gain her likeness.

"I'm glad, Princess." The hedgehog replied bashfully, continuing to use his two little fingers. Blaze giggled and used her doll to hug them.

A guard peered through the doorway of the princess's room, eying the kitten; she spotted his presence immediately. "Silver, I must be going to rest, now." She stated sadly, her eyes bending downwards.

"Okay, Princess…" he replied, coequally sad. Silver hopped off the bed and waved goodbye, leaving the doorway as the guard shut Blaze inside.

Although saddened by his departure, Blaze happily thought of the days to come, knowing he would always return to cheer her up. The kit realized their bond was strengthening; and that the two may even be considered _friends_.

'_He has to be my friend! I've certainly never opened up that much, before… he should consider himself lucky!  
><em>

Blaze pulled herself under the covers, switching off her bedside lamp. Comforted by the sound of a soft wind, and warmth the comforter offered her, and of course the thought of her new friend, Blaze drifted into deep into her dreams.

Meanwhile, inside of Silver's room; the silvery hedgehog resided inside of his bed, dressed in comfortable nightwear. His thoughts buzzed inside of his brain endlessly, the excitement of his arrival. For the first time, he experienced true warmth and compassion, and opening arms and mercy.

'_The Princess is beyond what I've imagined…her personality is great! I hope we can be friends in the future...' _

Silver pressed his face inside the soft, fluffy white pillow and soaked in its scent- for it was his new home. Soon thereafter, his eyes began to settle shut, allowing his imaginations and dreams flooding into his head.

* * *

><p><em>Author's Note: Isn't it cuttteee? Reviews are more than welcome, and… yeah. Go on. hides_

_This is Chapter One, by the way, lol. I hope this isn't being misunderstood for a oneshot, lol! xD  
><em>


	2. Comfort

**Comfort;**

Blaze paced the floor in anticipation, her eyes glued to her room's marble floor. After waking up that morning, and eating breakfast, her father told her that she would need to present the Fall Banquet taking place in the kingdom's courtyard. Only the rich and wealthy could attend, but even with that knowledge the princess felt sick with worry.

"I'm only eight…" she murmured helplessly, "what am I going to do?"

Her door creaked open behind her, the guard's face peering into her room. "Your royal Jester is here to be with you." He appointed politely.

Blaze stopped her pacing and faced the open door. "Let him come…"

Silver entered with a airy grin, approaching the princess enthusiastically. "Princess, how are you today?" he asked appreciatively while bowing in her presence.

"Frankly, I feel sickly beyond belief," she responded nauseated, "I am to present the banquet later today."

"The banquet, you say? I could only dream of the excitement you must feel!"

"Quite the opposite…"

"Why's that?"

Blaze shook her head in distress, sitting on her bed while hugging her aching stomach. "I'm not used to public speaking… I love the people of this kingdom; however publicly speaking is not something I've grown into."

"There's no need to be insecure, Princess, the people attending respect you and love you."

"I suppose…"

The kit sighed with little amenity and shut her eyes, breathing deeply in and out. Silver sat next to her and cordially spoke to the grieving princess. "If I may ask, Blaze, is there something in this castle that you do to settle your thoughts?"

"Not that I recall."

Silver contemplated her response, soon thereafter smiling. "Would you come with me, somewhere?"

"Where are we going?"

"Don't worry; we're not leaving the premises." The boy assured the puzzled princess, who nodded in hesitation. The young Jester stood from his position and respectfully extended his hand, escorting the blushing kit through the corridors of the large, elegant castle.

The boy walked frivolously through the hall, which made the little princess giggle.

"Where are we going, Silver?"

"You'll see."

Blaze vaguely recognized the flowery pattern engraved into the stone walls beside her. "This way leads to the garden…" she murmured quietly.

"Mhm…"

Silver pushed open two, white doors open; which led to a shaded courtyard; the bushes and trees covered in lush, colorful flowers. Blaze smiled pleasingly, her eyes lifting to the extravagantly adorned pillars of stone that framed the entrance to the garden.

"Why did you bring me here?" Blaze asked, turning to Silver who examined the courtyard with an admiring eye.

"Well, Princess, before your royal guards had spotted me, the scent and beauty of this garden seized my senses and I was mesmerized for the longest time. All of my grief and worry vanished…"

"That's lovely."

"It is, Princess, but the point of bringing you here is to momentarily free yourself of all strain."

"I wish I could, but… my duties are severely important. I couldn't possibly…"

"It's not healthy, Princess, please… for at least a moment or two?"

The kit sighed, ceasing her insistence. Her golden eyes bent to the lovely bush of pink roses, approaching them briefly in a tranquil state. Blaze crouched on her knees and settled herself there, inhaling the roses' aroma.

"Beautifully pink, I must say." Silver bluffed kindheartedly, "May I?" Silver placed his fingers under one of the roses, awaiting the princesses' response.

"Go on."

Silver plucked a beautifully opened rose, turned to the princess and placed it on her head, near her pony tail. Blaze smiled, feeling the rose perched on her head.

"Thank you…"

"Of course, Princess, the pleasure is mine!"

The cat smiled warmly before twittering amusingly, plucking another rose and attaching it near Silver's ear. The hedgehog snickered, pushing up his longer quills, as if her were a girl. The two shared another fit of laughs, nearly falling over in the process.

Once the laughing faded, Silver glanced at Blaze, quite worriedly. "Are… are you my friend?" he blurted, blinking his eyes once he apprehended his question.

"What- of course we are!" Blaze replied, "Don't be so… ah, _naïve_."

Silver's cheeks simmered in warmth as they became rosy. "It was not my place to ask that…"

Blaze rolled her eyes and stood up, offering her hand to the little boy. He grasped it tightly and lifted himself to his feet, still avoiding her gaze.

"Come, let's meet with my father; I need to prepare my presentation with him."

"Okay, Princess."

The two distracted themselves with an amusing conversation as they re-entered the castle, Blaze leading the way to a conference room. The princess turned to the nearest door on her left as they approached a new hall, opening it and walking inside.

A bright red carpet greeted the young boy's eyes, an array of chairs tucked tightly under a long, burnt-umber table lined with gold. The king sat focused on a sheet of paper, along with others sprawled out in front of him. His bright blue eyes glanced upward and softened at the sight of his daughter and the young Jester.

"Ah, Blaze and Silver, please come in." he greeted daintily, reverting his eyes to the beckoning information.

The young princess ran to her father and placed a loving kiss on his cheek. "Hi daddy, it's good to see you!"

"I'd do the same, your Majesty, but that would make it awkward for everyone." Silver joked lightly, approaching the king on the other side.

"My boy, there's no need to be bashful; however I can do without a kiss, thank you." The king responded heartily, shaking Silver's hand.

"So, I'm here to plan my speech," Blaze began apprehensively, "for the banquet?"

"Ah, I see. Well, dear, all that I can really say is follow your heart's intentions. This speech is directed to the loyal and faithful citizens of my kingdom; there must be _something_ you can say on your behalf."

"I'm not too sure… I suppose I'm thankful?"

"Then express that! Fear is not an option, Blaze, so I want you to feel comfortable beyond imagining."

"Okay, dad… erm, how's mommy?"

"She's… better."

Blaze frowned, twiddling her fingers in anxiety. "Do you mean…?"

"No, no, no; she has attained more strength today. Would you like to see her?"

"No, I'm…!"

Silver gazed over at the princess confusedly, her tearful eyes wandering aimlessly around the conference room.

"Blaze, dear, she's going to be fine; I _assure _you of that."

"I know, daddy, I trust you… but sometimes it's too saddening."

The king directed his focus to Silver, gesturing for him to support her as well. The hedgehog hesitantly placed a hand on her back, surprising the kit.

"Princess, I cannot say I've been through this situation, but I know of your worry… please don't fret."

"How can I not? She's my _mother_, Silver."

"And this is your father, Princess… I'm sure the thought of your fear and anticipation gives him the same, sickly feeling you experienced earlier."

"You've felt sick, dear?"

"No… that was simply my fright over this presentation… but I'd hate for you, daddy, to feel that way too." Blaze threw her arms around her father happily, nuzzling his neck, "Sorry."

"Aw, it's fine, Blaze. I love you."

"I love you, too!"

Blaze turned to Silver and hugged him tightly as well. "I appreciate your support; c'mon! I want you to help me with my speech!" the kit said gleefully, running out of the conference room.

"Silver… how did you-?" the king asked in bewilderment, "besides around me, Blaze has always contained her emotions on the inside, never expressing herself so openly."

"I see beyond her outward trifles," Silver responded slowly, "she has a great attitude, too."

The king placed a hand on the young boy's shoulder, smiling warmly. "I'm very pleased to know that you've opened up my daughter's heart, Silver. I hope you too will become the greatest of friends."

"Me too, she has a great sense of humor!"

"She must get that from me…" the king kidded, "Go with her, Silver, I think she could use your wisdom."

"I'm only eight… I don't think I have _that _much wisdom."

"Silver, of course you do…"

"I appreciate that, your Majesty."

Silver bowed gracefully before him, and ran out of the room in excitement.

* * *

><p><em>Inside of Blaze's room… (5:30 pm)<em>

"So, dad says I need to express my thanks and appreciation for our wonderful citizens."

"Yes, I believe so."

"… _Do I just write thank you?_"

Silver laughed as the cat jotted down 'thank you' on a blank sheet of lined paper. "Blaze, that's silly, of course you need to write 'I love you all', too!"

Blaze wrote the phrase down humorously, sighing in amusement. "Okay, enough of this; it's time to get serious."

"Right, so… how _do _you fell about this kingdom and its loyal people?"

Blaze paused a moment, tapping the feathered pen against her lips. She quickly began writing out her current thoughts, before they escaped her head. Silver waited patiently for her to complete the paragraph.

"Okay, tell me what you think."

Blaze handed the sheet of paper to Silver, who read over it carefully. An impressed look on his face lightened Blaze's mood, who murmured, "So…?"

"It's amazing, Princess! Not to mention beautiful… I can't wait for the banquet, now!" a gasp passed his lips. "Wait, can I attend?"

"I-I'm not sure."

Blaze's father knocked softly on her door. "Blaze, dear, it's time to get ready. Have you finished your speech?" he asked thoughtfully.

"Yes, daddy, but I have something important to ask!"

"What is it?"

"Can Silver attend the banquet with me? I'd be _devastated _if my only friend couldn't come!"

The king smiled brightly, loving the sound of 'friend' passing her lips. "Of course, Blaze- in fact, he can escort you!"

"Really, your Majesty?" the young Jester asked willfully.

"Of course, Silver! Please be ready in time for her, though, it's crucial that you're punctual."

"Yes, your Majesty, I will."

The king nodded and held Blaze's hand, leading her the way to her royal preparation room. Silver quickly headed for his room in order to find something suitable wear for the upcoming event.

* * *

><p>Blaze delightfully stared at her beautiful reflection, examining her long, 'poofy' dress in awe. It was overall an elegant, lavish purple princess dress, lined with magenta on the hem of it. A beautiful, silver tiara replaced her pink hair tie, and she wore magenta flats.<p>

"It's beautiful…" she mused dreamily, turning to the two women who dressed her. "Thank you."

"Of course, Princess." They responded in unison.

Blaze stepped outside the door and waited for her ivory escort to come and greet her. Blaze's ears sensed the arrival of her Jester, and she smiled quickly.

Silver stepped up to her and waved, bashfully shifting his weight on both of his feet. The boy wore, now, a silky indigo vest that fell to his knees, accompanied by a pair of white tights and gracefully designed boots. A small poet's hat replaced his previously dinging bells.

"You look beautiful, Princess!" he complimented cheerfully, bowing before her.

"Ah, you look amazing yourself, my Jester."

Silver smiled, taking her hand politely and escorting her down the hallway. "So, uh, is there something I should know before I go off making a fool of myself?"

Blaze giggled and shook her head. "Silver, that's your job! You're the Jester, after all."

"Haha, _Princess_…"

"Fine, all that you should be aware of is your table manners and your sociability. Easy enough, right?"

Silver nodded gingerly, growing more nervous by the minute. Blaze settled the hedgehog down by patting his trembling hand.

"Your anxiety can be contagious, you know." She murmured matter-of-factly.

"I'm sorry, Princess… I'm not used to this. I come from a poor family; not a wealthy, party-attending one."

"Hey, it's a bit more difficult to be in _my _shoes, now."

"I wouldn't like that… after all, you're wearing _pink _flats."

Blaze chuckled, which settled down the uneasy Jester. "Just be yourself, Silver; you're much better off knowing you don't _need_ to be stiff and polite."

Silver shot a puzzled look the kit, whose eyes were directed elsewhere. "Okay…"

* * *

><p><em>Author's Note; Chapter two, people! The next few will be amusing; I'll give you that, haha.<em>

_R&R~!_


	3. The Royal Banquet

**The Royal Banquet;**

The sound of thundering trumpets jolted the ivory hedgehog from his momentary trance, his entire body trembling in sheer anxiety. The eight year old princess attempted to calm the jester down, soothing him with gentle words.

"It's going to be okay, Silver."

"It's so loud… I'm not used to things like this."

Before exiting the castle to greet the commoners, Blaze embraced Silver in a comforting hug. "Just be yourself."

Silver nodded as he gradually calmed down, the warmth of her body surging into during the hug. "Thank you, Princess."

"Of course, Silver."

The jester felt incredibly ludicrous, realizing he was nervous simply to attend a banquet. All he really needed to take seriously was how he acted, and how he escorted the princess.

A pound against the drums caused Silver's rapidly beating heart to jump.

"**Hail the princess!" **

Blaze looked to Silver encouragingly before tugging at their looped arms, and taking a big step towards the open doors. The jester gave his best smile as they proceeded down a royal blue carpet, overlooking what felt to be _millions _of eyes resting on them.

The young princess didn't take the event in surprise; being the royal princess, she had to go through fancy entrances before. Illustrious lamps were lit as they continued their _slow_ walk.

This was _torture _to Silver.

It felt like a decade has passed since they've exited, however a mere five minutes has passed since they've left, and they had already seated themselves to a gorgeously dressed table. The two sat themselves next to each other, bumping each other's chair.

"S-Sorry, I-I…!" he yelped, a wave of guilt tugging at his emotions as he stood to his feet.

"Its okay, Silver, just sit down! It'll be fine." Blaze assured the wary hedgehog, who shakily sat himself at the table once again.

"**All hail, the KING!" **

A roar of applause greeted the loyal king, who gazed happily to his many, loyal citizens. Blaze excitedly awaited her father's arrival, while Silver was distracted by the numerous of murmurs asking why there was a peasant by the princess.

"_Why is here there? Is he a prince?"_

"_How foolish, that boy doesn't deserve to be with her!" _

"_The princess should be accompanied by gorgeous prince, not some poor __**fool**__!"_

Silver's despair won the best of him, and lowered his head onto his arms. Blaze took notice of this, and began patting his back. "Silver… are you-?"

"No, Princess, no I'm not!" Silver cried dramatically, "I don't deserve to be here! I… I'm leaving!" he muttered afterward, fleeing the table in total humiliation. Blaze fearfully watched as the hedgehog ran away into the distance, apparently heading for the exit of the castle, and shouted, "Silver, wait for me!"

The kit took off at high speeds, something she hadn't noticed until now, and chased after the weeping hedgehog.

The king, standing in complete awe, settled the raging citizens. "I apologize for my daughter's behavior… this isn't something I'm used to."

* * *

><p>Silver crouched over in emotional pain as tears cascaded down his tightly shut eyes. He gritted his teeth tightly; "I… I'm such a f-fool!" he stammered to himself quietly, clenching his hands.<p>

"Silver…" a soft voice called out, apparently troubled.

"Princess, why did you follow me?" Silver snipped aguishly, "I can't bear to be out there! Those people _know _where I come from, they _know_ _who I am_!"

"Why is this important?" Blaze retorted in concern, "Why would you care for their opinion?"

Silver stood from his position and glared at the Princess; not with anger, nor envy, but with sadness and regret. "I _don't_… I care about _your_ impression."

Blaze paused, her mouth widening into a sob. "You… you think you're not worthy?"

Silver nodded quite a few times in response, turning around and facing the crescent moonlight. "I don't think, I know."

The Princess sat down on the soft, green grass and sobbed lightly into her dress. This took Silver, the hurt one, by surprise. "Why are _you _crying, Princess?"

"Silver… I'm only a kid! I can't deal with situations like _this_. I don't know… how to respond to you."

"You're not supposed to." Silver snorted unhappily, "I'm not going to return and make you look bad."

"No… you can't just leave me! You're my friend, I can't watch you _leave_! Why would you let this tomfoolery get to you! It's not like you!" Blaze grieved.

"I care for your welfare, Princess… after all of those people saw me escort you; they've questioned your mind, y-your authority! I didn't want you to carry my unnecessary weight…"

"I… understand that you feel that way, but who I choose to be my friends is _my _choice… and they need to put up with that."

"Really… Princess, you care that much for me?"

"Of course, Silver… you're my only friend, even if I did meet you a couple of days ago."

Silver paused, looking to the ground. The little boy sat next to her, frowning to see falling tears escape her eyes. "I'm really sorry, Princess… I made you cry on what is supposed a great banquet."

Blaze shook her head, wiping the trickling tears away. "It's fine, Silver… I understand your viewing, now." She looked at the hedgehog with big, childlike eyes.

"You do?"

"Yes, but I'm going to tell you now that I don't care of my reputation if I choose to be friends with you; because you bring out the little girl I am. I'm only eight, Silver, and I speak like I'm already married."

"Well, we both have an extended vocabulary." Silver kidded lightly, "That just means we're well educated."

The princess smiled brightly at the comment.

"_That's _the Silver I became friends with. Please don't let yourself get overwhelmed with sadness, because I'm always going to be your friend!"

"I admire your pity, Princess."

"I care about those who are close to me."

Silver stood to his feet and lifted Blaze at the same time. "Okay, P-Princess-"

"You can call me Blaze," The princess giggled, "its okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely, Silver!"

Silver beamed at the purple kit, grasping her hand. "Okay, Blaze, let me try this again." Silver cleared his throat. "Shall I escort you to the banquet?"

"You shall." Blaze responded regally.

"Well, uh, I think we better run… since we've wandered off a bit _too_ far."

"I agree!"

The two bounded off towards the castle, laughing nearly the entire way.

* * *

><p>"I'd like for my daughter to share a few of her compassionate words before celebrating the wonderful banquet tonight." The king announced to the hungry visitors, bowing their heads gracefully before the approaching princess.<p>

"Thank you all…" Blaze began, "I'd to thank you for coming tonight in celebration of this wonderful fall feast; a time where we can celebrate the change of seasons as of tonight. The people of this kingdom play a heavy role in my life… and I am very grateful."

A small applause intruded her touching speech, which made the purple kit smile. Her golden eyes gazed upon her ivory friend, sitting quietly at their table while intently listening.

"I'd also like to recognize my friend, tonight," Blaze announced, "Your kindness for the past few days have brought me great joy and understanding. You let me be the little girl I am, and not to be ashamed of it. To all of those who are listening, I'd like you to welcome Silver, my royal Jester!"

Taken aback, Silver's eyes widened with amazement and gratefulness, as he stood to his feet and accepted his recognition. "Thank you, P- … Blaze."

The young princess bowed to her father and retreated back to her seat, never taking her eyes off the blushing hedgehog.

"I can't believe you'd do that…" he said in complete astonishment.

"Well believe it, because I don't think I can repeat that." Blaze giggled happily, placing her petite hands on the table.

"Let us all feast, and thank the Lord for our precious celebration!"

Another ground-shaking boom of applause completed the pre-celebration, half of the people waiting impatiently for their meal.

Silver watched timidly as an extravagant meal was placed before him, its steaming aroma completely dominating his sense of smell. He hungrily took his fork, careful to mind his manners, and cut a piece of a beautifully roasted turkey.

Blaze kept a watchful eye on him, ensuring that he ate orderly in front of the nosey people watching him. The cat snickered every time he looked around and the visitors pretended not to notice until he began eating once more.

"Is something wrong?" Silver asked insecurely.

"No, Silver, you're fine. How are you enjoying your meal?" Blaze asked, immediately changing the subject.

"Its _delectable_; not to mention it's beautifully prepared and sensational to the taste."

"That's good to hear, Silver! I'm glad you've maintained your mannerism."

"Please, I have total self-control… well, uh-" he noticed the gaze of several people, questioning his last statement, "When I'm _not _terrified."

The king laughed in a polite tone. "Ah, Silver, everyone here respects your arrival; you _are_ the princesses' escort."

"I wouldn't say everyone…"

Blaze whispered into her father's ear a few of the visitors complaining of a peasant with the princess. The king's cheery smile downgraded to a serious frown, looking to Silver compassionately.

"I'm terribly sorry…"

"I was too, your Majesty, but your daughter's remarkable kindness allowed me to arrive with understanding… and friendship."

Blaze smiled warmly to the young hedgehog, nodding in understanding.

The king delicately placed a hand on both the princess and the jester, saying softly, "Children, I am grateful to know of your flourishing friendship; but please, go on and act as such, _children_! Dance, play, enjoy yourselves!"

Blaze and Silver exchanged glances blithely, and shot out of their seats immediately, after eating, and began dancing to the upbeat music that the musicians began to play.

This started a wave of excitement, couples one by one approaching the newly formed dance floor. Blaze laughed hardly when Silver was twirling around madly, making funny faces all the while. The little princess joined in by flapping her arms and walking around like a chicken.

Almost all of the party guests, at that point, began acting silly with one another, joking around playfully and bringing joy.

Silver began dancing a bit more seriously, along with Blaze, as they engulfed themselves into the music. Blaze twirled around elegantly while Silver held her outstretched hand, both of them dancing blissfully, unaware of the staring eyes.

As the music slowed down, so did their dancing pace; soon the both of them reducing to a sidestep waltz.

"Thank you, Blaze…" Silver spoke up breezily, looking at the equally as tired princess.

"There is no need to thank me, I'm just happy to cheer you up. _I'm_ the one who should be thanking you…"

"I'm glad we're friends, Blaze."

"We're not friends, Silver…" Blaze said with pseudo coldness, which startled the ivory hedgehog.

"We're _best _friends."

* * *

><p><em>Author's Notes: The fluffiness continues! WARNING; Time jump ahead!<em>

_/R&R_


	4. A Miracle

**A Miracle**

_Six years have passed since the declaration of Silver and Blaze's best friendship, and the two continued to support each other over the long, welcoming years. Now at age fourteen, Blaze's knowledge and royal duties have become more complex and crucial; while Silver at the same age, continues to be the princesses' jester._

Blaze lounged lazily on a cushioned chair, writing down information regarding the people's taxes. The cat was dressed loosely in a blue, dressy shirt and a black, frilled skirt. Her eyes nearly fell until soft thuds against her door snapped her out of a dreamy trance. "Yes?"

"Parcel for the Princess!"

Blaze set down her feathered pen, got up, and opened her door. "Parcel?" she questioned, "Really?"

A pelican, dressed in fine attire, set down a large, brown box at the doorstep and bowed before her. "Princess," he greeted, "How are you?"

"Busy, as usual… thank you for the parcel!" the cat thanked the loyal bird, who nodded.

"Of course, Princess, it's no trouble."

He waved goodbye and gently closed her door, leaving the cat to wonder who could send her such a large parcel. A small button was towards the bottom corner on the front of the box, and it said: "PRESS HERE."

Puzzled, Blaze crouched to her knees and pressed it lightly. To her surprise, Silver popped out of the box and yelled, "Good afternoon, Blaze!" The bells on his quills rang as he waved his head foolishly, holding a smaller box.

"Silver- you take your job a little too seriously!" Blaze chortled as she threw her arms around her best friend, "It's good to see you this fine afternoon!"

Silver embraced the hug and chuckled, "Yes; now, you _do _have a package besides me."

"Really now; am I to expect another jester?"

"No, no, no; it's more of a gift."

"A gift… is it from you?"

Silver's cheeks were tinted with red as he handed the small, delicately wrapped box to the cat. Blaze's eyes flashed with slight confusion as she took it and started to unwrap it. As she opened the small flaps, a bright smile grew on her face as she pulled out a charm bracelet with only one dangling charm; which represented a jester.

"Oh, Silver! Did you have this made? Blaze asked with beaming eyes, placing the bracelet on her wrist.

"Yes… I had two made."

Silver lifted his own wrist and showed her the same bracelet, but his charm was of a princess.

"They're precious…"

"To me, they represent our friendship… today marks the sixth year since the royal banquet."

"Six years have already passed? Oh my goodness… that was the day we assured each other of being best friends."

Silver nodded sheepishly as his eyes wandered about aimlessly. Blaze pursed her lips into a smile and hugged the hedgehog once more. "It means a lot to know that you've been keeping track… you're truly a close friend."

"Aw, it's nothing, Blaze. I just think it's important to remember that… because it's pretty important."

"Yes... but goodness, I feel horrible now!" the cat exclaimed dramatically.

"What, how?"

"I didn't give you in anything in return!"

"Yes, you did… you gave me your friendship and your hospitality, Blaze! I wouldn't be here to give you a charm bracelet if you didn't let me stay!" the white hedgehog kidded frivolously.

"That _is _true…" Blaze chuckled humorously, "Still…"

Blaze paused a moment, musing for quite some time. Silver patiently waited for her to begin, and began whistling a small tune.

"Ah, I got it!" she suddenly acclaimed, taking Silver by the hand and dragging him out of her room.

"B-Blaze?" he stammered, chuckling at the same time.

"Shush! It's my turn!" Blaze snapped quietly at the quivering hedgehog, leading the way through different hallways.

It didn't take too long before Silver realized where they were going. "We're going to the garden?"

Blaze nodded gleefully as she pushed open the white doors that led to the infamous courtyard. "You were the one to bring me here six years ago; and now its time to return the favor." She exclaimed.

"What? Return the favor?"

"Just trust me."

The princess led the ivory hedgehog through the several paths of the garden, a flurry of different flowers greeting Silver's nose unpleasantly. Silver sneezed into his other arm, rubbing his itching nose.

"Bless you!"

"Thank you!"

After minutes of walking, a gate became visible through a thicket of bushes. "We're here." Blaze informed as he turned to him excitedly.

"Where are we?"

"You'll see…"

The cat used a small key hooked on her necklace to unlock the gate, and opened it slowly. Silver heard trickling water as they entered through the gate. "That's… beautiful." He whispered in awe; Blaze smiling warmly at her best friend.

A large fountain was centered amongst bushes that surrounded it, and on the fountain was a statue of both of her parents and the princess herself when she was a baby, cradled in their arms.

"That's you, isn't it Blaze?" Silver asked the blushing cat, who nodded slowly.

"Yes… a long time ago; when my mother was healthy."

"I see…"

Blaze approached the fountain and sat at its ridge, near her mother, and smiled at the inanimate statue. Silver seated himself next to her, and chuckled; "You must've been a fluffy baby."

Blaze punched his arm playfully, "That's not _funny_."

"Yes it _is_."

Blaze rolled her eyes, looking up at the queen's statue thoughtfully.

"How is she?" Silver asked, taking up all his guts to ask that simple question.

"She's been better… my dad says she has the strength to surpass anything."

"Really… so she's strong, huh?

"Strong doesn't begin to describe her. She's a very passionate woman, Silver, and her will is something to comment on. She doesn't like to express weakness… which is why when people come to visit her, she always uses up all of her strength to show her people that she is fine and won't give up on her prayers and will."

"That's very bold of her."

"Well, that's when I get mad…"

Silver's eyes widened at the comment. "You get mad at this?"

"_Yes_," Blaze snipped sharply, "She can't do that to herself! The way she uses all of strength just to put on a show! She's weak, she needs to _rest_… but instead she… I-I just don't understand."

"Blaze… may I?"

The princess nodded, a spark of fire forming on the palm of her hands.

"Your mother's willpower expresses this kingdom's strength and passion. That's nothing to look down upon, it's something to admire of. Her ongoing drive simply means she has faith and trust in God…"

Blaze looked up to Silver curiously, listening intently to his words.

"A strong justice is something I see in you even, Princess. You have the charm, power, and elegance of your mother, and the kindness, gentleness, and wit of your father. A good combination, I must say." Silver remarked, smiling at the cat.

Blaze chuckled, shyly twiddling her fingers. "I suppose… ah; now I feel guilty."

"Why?"

"Well, your point makes a lot of sense, and now I feel responsible for being hostile towards my mother."

"No, Blaze, you just needed a small faith check is all."

"I really don't know what I could do without you, Silver. I can see why my dad picked you to be the jester."

"Was it because I cracked a joke about my little sense of humor?"

"_No,_" Blaze chuckled, "it was because of your nobility, justice, and honesty, Silver. I don't think your wit was going to be strong enough to allow you into the castle… even though you are a funny person."

Silver snickered while he looked up at the statue, smiling at the stone, little kit in the king and queen's hands.

The cat stared at the hedgehog in a new light from that moment on, a small spark of interest touching her heart. Blaze had not only realized his honesty and will, but that he was also a _very_ dependable person in _any _situation. That's when she realized, then and there, that she formed a crush on the ivory hedgehog.

"Well, Blaze, I don't want to keep your time." His voice racked into her ears, jolting her awake from her daydreaming.

"Uh, yes, indeed!" she blurted, "Uh, did you enjoy your visit?"

"Oh, more than anything, Princess; it is certain that God has blessed me with a true friend like you!"

"I'm glad... and yes, I agree!"

Without much of a warning, Silver embraced her in a warm hug, causing the cat to blush madly. Blaze returned the hug and smiled; a small purr rumbling in her throat. Silver noticed this and flinched, hesitantly breaking the hug.

"Um, sorry-"

"Its okay, Silver, I don't mind; you're my best friend, remember?"

Silver nodded, his insecurity fading with that knowledge.

"I must be off, now." Blaze sighed as she stood to her feet, "I need to complete an assignment my father has given me earlier today. Could you possibly tell him I'm almost done?"

"Yes, of course!" Silver assured the cat, who was now relaxed.

"Thank you, Silver."

The ivory hedgehog nodded, standing to his feet next to her.

Blaze gave a rather impish smile as she approached the hedgehog quickly and kissed his cheek, which became warm after about three seconds.

"B-Blaze what are you-!"

"Bye!" she quickly intruded before rushing off, smiling to herself with encouragement.

Silver placed his hand on his rosy cheek, blinking in astonishment. _'Did she just…kiss my cheek?' _ The ivory hedgehog stood in bewilderment for a small while, soaking in the moment. After a few moments, the hedgehog proceeded out of the garden with only one word passing his lips; "_Wow_."

* * *

><p>Upon reaching the throne room, the only thing that greeted Silver's golden eyes was two, empty thrones. This puzzled Silver, because the king was usually found seated there; conversing with his fellow guards and advisors.<p>

"Where is he?" he murmured quietly, turning around and proceeding back the way he came. He caught sight of two guards speaking with one another, almost in a mourning way.

"_Is the queen okay?"_

"_No, the woman nursing her to health told the king she's not likely to make it by the end of the day."_

"_That's awful… it pains me to know how the princess might feel about this."_

Silver gasped, a strike of fear panging his soul as he darted down the hall in search of the resting room of the queen.

Racing away through the corridors of the unbelievingly large castle brought weariness to the hedgehog, but his overbearing curiosity kept him moving quickly past guards and doors alike as he ventured into places he's never seen before.

A small burst of light shone across the hallway, where a door was creaked open. Silver figured that room was where the king and queen were currently inside. He slowly approached it, while heavily panting, and peeked inside.

The king was found knelt by the bed, grasping the hand of his beloved wife with tears streaming down his eyes. The settled atmosphere caused Silver to feel nearly sick with anxiety.

The queen herself seemed to be breathing uneasily, her eyes squeezing shut every now and then. After opening them for a small moment, her eyes rested on the ivory hedgehog, and smiled faintly. "Come in…" her voice called softly with _extreme _weakness, breathing in very hard.

Silver quivered as he walked inside, biting his lip.

The king's head turned and faced Silver, his drained, red eyes looking helplessly at him. "My princess…" he muttered nearly inaudibly, "Please, find her."

Silver nodded without question, and darted out of the room.

* * *

><p><em>Author's Note: Yikes! What's gonna happen? D: R&amp;R!<br>_


	5. An Unnatural Fire

**An Unnatural Fire**

**A/N: Before you continue, this chapter contains some pretty in-depth Christianity; if you're not into that stuff. Just skip it, no flames, and no harm, right? Let's continue the story!**

Silver approached the door to Blaze's room hesitantly, lifting a shaky hand towards the door knob. Before he could attempt to open it, Blaze had already opened it and smacked the jester accidentally.

"Oh my goodness, Silver, I'm so sorry!" the princess yelped sympathetically, crouching to the fallen hedgehog.

"Its fine, Blaze, I'm okay," he mumbled hastily… "But…"

"But what; are you starting to hallucinate?"

Silver shook his head. "No … it's your mother, Blaze."

The cat's eyes shot a startled gaze to Silver, tears of anguish beginning to stream down. A flurry of emotions clouded her vision and thoughts; almost to a point where she had forgotten Silver was hurt right in front of her. The princess knelt down and stared at Silver with darts for eyes. "M-mom, what's wrong with her?" she demanded, clenching her fists.

"You need to come with me, now." Silver attempted to say calmly, only to have Blaze pin him down with a fiery growl.

"_I don't need your help_," she spat, "I'll see for myself… I don't need your _lies_."

Silver couldn't utter a word for the longest time, staring into the cat's blazing yellow eyes, which were lost in her enraged thoughts. For the six years the two had known each other, Silver _never _angered the princess to such an extent; in fact, he _never _angered her.

Without speaking, Blaze rushed around him and made her way to the infirmary room. Silver couldn't hold back a single sob once the cat left, his feelings pressed onto the bowels of his heart; how _cruel _her words were, and how _heartless _when her words stung his eardrums. The ivory hedgehog stood to his feet, rubbing the bright red bump in pulsing pain. _What should I do? I can't go after her… I'll just make her more upset. I… failed. It was my job to always keep her happy; and now… _

"**Nonsense, Silver!"**

Silver gasped, huddling into a corner against the wall. "Who's there…?"

* * *

><p>Blaze stormed into the room, disrupting the temporary peace the king and queen held. The king's eyes shrunk in astonishment, hoping the intrusion didn't cause the queen to become engulfed in surprise. To his relief, the queen's eyes rested peacefully on the princess.<p>

"Blaze, dear…"

"_WHY?_" Blaze's voice bawled, the pitch of her voice changing to a much deeper tone.

"Blaze…!" the king snapped, sharply glaring over to his angered daughter.

"Honey…" the queen soothed the overwhelmed king with a light wave of her hand, "remember."

"How could you do this to yourself? You could be in such better shape if you would've cooperated! I can't believe you would do this!" Blaze snarled.

Taken aback, Blaze stood in astonishment as the queen limped off her bed and weakly approached the cat. At first, Blaze detested her attempts, looking rather disgusted to see her mother come closer to her. The queen, regardless, wrapped her arms around the cat with a warmth that overwhelmed Blaze's anguish and pain, which caused her eyes to soften. A light began to twinkle in her eyes, and tears of _sadness _and _sympathy _began streaming down. As if oblivious, Blaze began questioning where she was. "Mom...?"

"Blaze… you must always remain calm."

"How can I, mother… your passing is so near."

"Have you ever heard of a miracle?"

"Mother…"

The queen stroked the hair of her frazzled daughter, breathing uneasily into her ear. "You must always trust in God, you know…"

"It seems so hard, though… you've been sick for the longest time! I wish He would've healed you by now, so I wouldn't have to worry."

"He has a purpose for everything, dear. Please understand that."

"Your sickness is His purpose? That's foolish!"

"No, honey, this is a trial… a trial you must realize. Over the years I've been sick, _you've_ changed… haven't you noticed your fire, recently?"

Blaze lifted a hand and began forming a spark of fire, which burst strongly into the air. "It's been brutal… and uncontrollable." She concluded after a period of silence.

"This is a result of your emotions, dear."

"My emotions…?"

"Yes. Blaze, during this _entire _time, you've bottled up your emotions inside and became ashamed of _my_ faith. Your confusion soon led to anger, causing the power of fire in you become stronger with those emotions. Today, your anger has been unleashed."

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing, dear, this just means you need to regain your trust and faith."

_Faith; _the one word that Silver had used earlier to calm her down; _faith_… and _Silver_.

Blaze placed a hand onto her mother's forehead, her tears continuing to drench her cheeks. "Do you have fire, too?"

"Of course, even your father does!" the queen giggled faintly, "However ours is powered by passion and faith."

"_Faith..."_

"Yes, faith, dear."

"I… I don't want to be powered by anger!"

"Of course not… go on, let it out."

Blaze stood back, away from her mother but approaching father, and began crying intensely into his shoulder. This single moment brought her back to first day of her mother's sickness, the same time she had met Silver. _Silver_.

_Faith._

After moments of unstoppable tears and pain, the cat had fallen asleep _peacefully _in her father's arms. Little did the both of them know, _so did the queen._

* * *

><p>The ivory hedgehog fearfully looked into the glowing, blue eyes of a pure white, heavily armored guard, who stared at him with an odd mix of concern and compassion.<p>

"What do you want?" Silver asked frightfully.

"As of now, it is none of your concern." The guard responded with a bellowing voice, "What is important now is that you must _not _give up."

"Why should I listen to you? You don't know how painfully shocking this is; I will surely be abandoned after failing to do my part with the princess!"

"You have not failed, Silver! This is merely a test of your will!"

Regardless of that fact that the guard knew of the ivory hedgehog's name, without an introduction, Silver continued to pursue in his retorts. "A test of my will…! The princess wants me gone, if she hasn't made that clear to you!"

"Silver, you do not know the instability of her emotions. All you know is that she is your best friend, but she has _never_ opened her true heart to you."

"…"

"That's right," the guard laughed calmly, "yes, it is true. Even though she hasn't, yet, the princess has always used your strong friendship as an outlet for her thoughts; which evidently delayed her angered emotions and instead expressed happiness and freedom."

"Is… this true?"

"Of course, my boy, she admires you in every way. Your justice and strong heart has always led her to believe she can be just like you. She hopes to be a strong leader for her people, and you've been quite the role model lately."

"In what way; I haven't done anything of the sort… at least not that I can recall."

The atmosphere around them shifted into a different perspective, the image of a garden surrounding them. Silver saw his own image and Blaze sitting aside the fountain, as if the clock had reversed to the earlier morning.

"Your little speech on faith altered her previous thinking, Silver, which sparked a light in not only her mind, but in her heart."

Silver smiled at the small scene between the two. He suddenly blushed when he saw the iconic Blaze kiss the side of his cheek warmly before rushing off.

"Why did she do that?" Silver asked aloud, placing a hand on the cheek she kissed on.

"Haha, let love take its course, Silver, you'll realize it soon enough."

Silver simply shrugged off and turned the white armored knight, who looked down to him lovingly. "What should I do?" he asked.

"Just be patient, Silver, and don't ever think the princess doesn't need you… in fact," the guard looked to the sky and chuckled, "She needs you _now _more than ever. Empathize with her, hedgehog, and your patience will be rewarded by Him."

"…Really?"

Before Silver could question it, the guard vanished and the setting returned to the castle; but instead the ivory hedgehog was found in front of the infirmary room. Silver glanced about nervously before opening the door softly, peering inside with little confidence.

Blaze was resting calmly beside her mother on the bed, with the king stroking her head next to her. The room seemed to be peaceful, even though a soul seemed to be missing from the atmosphere.

Silver proceeded inside and stood beside the king, who looked to him warily. "Thank you for staying… Silver… she'll want to apologize."

"There is no need for that… I don't understand the origins of her anger, so it's best to leave it to her to open up if she wants to. I'll always remain at her side, your Majesty; I just want you to know that…"

The king pulled the hedgehog down beside him and nodded. "Thank you, Silver… Blaze has finished the clearing of her soul. She has a renewed faith… I think she'll be a tad different when she wakes up."

Silver smiled warmly, staring at the purple cat who purred lightly at the touch of her father's hand. The same purr she pressed after their small hug.

He took the moment to look to the queen, who didn't seem to be breathing. A purge of sadness overwhelmed his emotions, and looked to the king, who acknowledged him. Silver's eyes reversed to the princess, and joined the king stroking the hair of the beautiful cat.

Blaze, unconsciously, grasped Silver's hand and nuzzled it, her purring continuing all the same.

"I love you…" she whispered cutely, continuing to squeeze his hand. Silver blushed madly, confused whether she mean the king or himself. There was only one way to find out, he assumed.

"I… love you too?" Silver responded quietly, which made Blaze happily kiss his hand and let it go. At that moment, Silver realized what the guard meant. The only question he had to think about, was if he returned his feelings. Silver assumed it was early to think of such, and simply continued to stroke the hair of the young cat.

Outside the door, looking warmly at the scene was the knight, who seemed more than pleased to know both individuals were at peace.

"You're always looking out for the little ones." He murmured quietly.

The guard laughed lightly, looking at the king who seemed to be dampened by remorse. "Will he be okay?" A soft wind began to pick up as if an assured sigh seemed to answer his question.

"Hm, now I'm curious to see how this turns out."

The guard smiled, his figure vanishing away.

* * *

><p><em>AN: At least there was fluff in the end! : D Hope you liked this chapter!_

_There's still more chapters to come, lol! Don't freak! xD  
><em>


	6. Faith

**Faith;**

Blaze's eyes slowly lifted drowsily as soon as a ray of sunlight shone warmly onto her face, which for the most part felt peaceful. She took the time to survey her current position and tried to retrace what had happened. With her ears twitching, the cat adjusted her posture and looked behind her. Her mother was gone. With a saddened expression, she patted the pillow her mother had rested her head, and sobbed quietly.

"… Princess, are you okay?"

Blaze quickly registered the voice as Silver and smiled, weakly but happily, and ran into his arms and continued to cry. Not all of her tears were of sadness; but instead of relief.

"T-Thank you for not leaving, S-Silver; I just didn't know how to think." She stammered breathlessly as her eyes squeezed shut, "Words can't describe how sorry I am!"

Silver caressed her frizzy hair and nodded as he expressed empathy. "You don't have to apologize, Blaze. I… I didn't know you might've felt about this, and I should've taken the matter a little more earnestly." He whispered, "I'm the one who should be sorry."

"No, Silver, don't put yourself where my fault is; I know I am the one responsible for my uncontrollable anger. You were trying to h-help me!" she sniffled; the tips of her eyelids tickled by Silver's chest fur, and somehow stifled a giggle in reaction.

Silver chuckled at her momentary laughter. "Its okay, Blaze, I've already forgiven you. There is absolutely no need to worry; and I most certainly won't hold a grudge."

Blaze smiled and looked up and the hedgehog, who looked sincerely into her eyes as they rose and met his. The two awkwardly shared each others gaze before they both stepped back and turned away in embarrassment.

"Well, thank you, Silver…" she peeped, breaking the discreet silence.

"It's no trouble, Blaze."

"What happened to my mother? Did… did she…?"

Silver nodded resentfully and seated himself on the bed as the cat did, who held back the river of tears in order to speak with him.

"When will the funeral take place?" she asked as she blinked her eyes; a few defiant tears escaped her control.

"Tomorrow night." Silver answered, "You're expected to give a small speech."

"Well, of course, she's my mother." Blaze lamented, her voice squeaking in the process.

The cat rested her head on the jester's shoulder, attempting to repress her sobs. Silver set his chin on her head, allowing the grieving cat to collect her strength to speak.

"Come with me," she muttered, "please be my escort."

"Of course, Blaze, whatever you want I'll do."

The cat sniffed in a sharp breath, and nudged Silver's chin softly with her nose. "Thank you…" she said lightly, smiling feebly. The tip of her finger poked at Silver's chest fur, another faint giggle escaping her lips.

"You say _I _was a fluffy baby." She murmured jocularly.

"Hey, that's my man fluff." Silver kidded.

For once the cat felt free from her sadness, only to care for her graceful jester. The hedgehog has once again regained her happiness, and that's all that was on Blaze's mind right now; _Silver_.

_Silver… faith. _

"Faith…" the cat echoed her thoughts, "_Faith…_"

_**FLASHBACK (S);**_

_"T-Thank you; and I promise you, on behalf of my __**faith **__and determination, I won't let you down!" the hedgehog exclaimed proudly, waving to both the king and Blaze quickly before running down the hall._

_"No, Blaze, you just needed a small __**faith**__ check is all."_

_**END OF FLASHBACK(S)**_

"Silver… oh, Silver!" Blaze suddenly rejoiced, throwing her arms around the stunned hedgehog; the impact of her clumsy actions causing him to fall back.

"Blaze…!" Silver laughed, "You scared the chills out of me!"

"You… you're faith! Or- well, technically you have the faith of God, and He's blessed me through you… because, even though you don't know it… you've ministered to me."

"I… I've ministered to you?"

"Y-Yes… oh, God is great! Did you know that?" she giggled uncontrollably, a shiver crawling down her spine. The cat almost felt weightless, and free of any restraint. Blaze rested on her legs and continued to laugh. "I feel… so _free_!"

A spark of light twinkled in her eyes, a light that Silver vaguely recognized- however not on the spot. The hedgehog smiled brightly and sat up, gazing at the cat's new outlook and expression. _Something _about her changed- as if an unnecessary weight had been lifted off her back and allowed her to stretch and wave aimlessly around. Was that true? Did God send him to Blaze for a purpose? If that was the case, He surely knew how to place a win-win situation.

"You seem… so blissful, Princess."

"I know, isn't it amazing?" Blaze questioned rhetorically, "Even though things seem bad… you always need to have hope and _faith_."

"Faith, huh… that seems to be the word of the morning."

"Oh, it's more than a word when it's in action!"

Silver nodded in agreement, placing a hand on hers as it settled comfortably at her side. She smiled cutely and faced Silver, regaining her composure.

"I think I better go off and start my speech, Silver; I want you to tell my father to serve breakfast in my room- for the two of us! I want you to be there for every second."

"Sure, Blaze, I'll do that right now!"

Unconsciously, Blaze pecked his cheek and hopped off the bed, rushing out of the room. After apprehending what she had just done, she couldn't help but giggle. Silver almost called her back, but in the pit of his stomach… _something _stopped him.

* * *

><p>The white hedgehog stepped quietly into the throne room, where the king was brooding to himself softly. With a small smile, he looked at Silver with red-stained eyes. "Hello, Silver." He greeted hoarsely, "What brings you by?"<p>

"The Princess would like her breakfast served to her room for the both of us… a light has really shone in her this morning."

"That's lovely… I'll have my guards serve her immediately." The king mused remorsefully, as if he hadn't completely understood his words.

Hesitantly, Silver nodded and departed away from the throne; confused, at that.

Upon approaching the door to Blaze's room, he was shocked to see the guards already walking down the nearest corridor. With a smile, he hopped on top of one of the carts, while avoiding the food, and whispered to the guard, who shrugged in response.

The door flung open and Silver happily announced their arrival with a large shout; "BREAKFAST CALL!"

Blaze snickered as she stood from her desk, watching the silvery hedgehog wave his hands as he sat on the cart full of food.

"I don't want your tail in my food, Silver!" Blaze called, laughing.

"Don't worry!" he claimed as he hopped off, wagging his small tail. "Your food is free of any germs."

The cat approached the cart and thanked the guard as he left, pulling it further into her room. "Okay, let's break for '"break"-fast," Blaze chuckled, "And I'll continue my memorial speech."

Silver felt a bit surprised to see the cat so incredibly cheerful, even after the passing of her mother. It tugged his heart to ask Blaze if she felt any sadness, but he figured she desperately needed the happiness; even in a situation like this.

"So, Silver," the cat began after swallowing a mouthful of food, "I need to ask you something."

"Yeah, sure- go for it!"

"You seem to have an attraction to flowers, since you seem to stop by my garden very often." She giggled, "Why is that? I find it odd that I've never asked you this before."

"Oh, I'm just fascinated by their beauty… it's very admiring to watch them grow and develop… plus my beloved grandmother loved them."

"I see… hey, do you have a favorite flower?"

"To be honest with you, I simply love wild flowers the most… especially these purple crested ones with yellow-rimmed petals… they're simply… beautiful." He slowed his pace, quite bashful to realize Blaze looking quite frazzled in his response.

"Ah, that's… great!" Blaze chuckled sheepishly, trying to conceal her obvious blush.

Silver took a slow bite of his breakfast, careful not to spill any contents on the bed. "How do you feel your speech is coming along?"

"Very… in-depth, I'll be honest with you." Blaze responded, biting off what seemed to be buttered bread.

"That's good, I'm happy to know that your feelings will be expressed."

"Yes."

The two completed their meals and placed the dishes back on the cart. Blaze took her notebook and ink-feather and at on her bed next to Silver, who sat facing her.

"Okay, I'd like you to read it."

"Okay."

Silver took the notebook and read the speech carefully. A small flashback purged into his brain.

_**FLASHBACK;**_

_"So, dad says I need to express my thanks and appreciation for our wonderful citizens."_

_"Yes, I believe so."_

_"… Do I just write thank you?"_

_Silver laughed as the cat jotted down 'thank you' on a blank sheet of lined paper. "Blaze, that's silly, of course you need to write 'I love you all', too!"_

_Blaze wrote the phrase down humorously, sighing in amusement. "Okay, enough of this; it's time to get serious."_

_"Right, so… how do you fell about this kingdom and its loyal people?"_

_Blaze paused a moment, tapping the feathered pen against her lips. She quickly began writing out her current thoughts, before they escaped her head. Silver waited patiently for her to complete the paragraph._

_"Okay, tell me what you think."_

_**END FLASHBACK**_

"Hah, remember that banquet?" Silver asked.

"Well of course, you've had these made, remember?" Blaze chuckled, lifting her wrist to show the dangling jester charm.

"Yeah, you asked me for my help on that day, too."

"Oh, yeah…"

"That day I was nervous to be your escort."

"You're not going to run out on me again, are you?"

"Never again, Princess… you're too important to me."

Blaze's cheeks were flushed with red as she gestured for him to continue reading. Once Silver finished reading, she placed the paper on her lap and smiled sincerely. "It's… very touching. You have such an amazing heart, Blaze… those are pretty soulful."

"Aw, don't be ridiculous…"

"Well, even though that's my job… I'm fully honest. God _bless _you."

Taking the matter effectively, Blaze placed a hand on his. "Hey, it's alright, I just… felt that's what I needed to say about her. My mother is very important to me…"

"I'm sure she's rejoicing, Blaze."

After a few moments, Silver sighed and stood from his spot. "I'll be back…" he said in a daze. Blaze, slightly confused, nodded.

"Of course…"

Another kiss on the cheek… but this time, it was _Silver. _

* * *

><p><em>AN: More to come! : D_


	7. Beauty of a Flower

**Beauty of a Flower;**

Inside the hall of the entrance, prepared for her presentation, Blaze began shifting uncomfortably in her high-heeled shoes, anticipating for Silver's arrival. To her desperation; the funeral was about to begin, and her was no where to be found.

"Oh, Silver… now of all times?"

The cat heard footsteps, echoing in the distance, and following suit was an, "_Ow_!" Blaze stormed behind her and pulled it open, angrily looking down to the exasperated white hedgehog on the ground. "You're late, Silver! You better have a legitimate reason for your poor punctuality."

"I actually do, Bla-!"

"There's no time, now, explain it to me later!"

Blaze assisted in lifting Silver to his feet and brashly looped arms with his with a clearly stern expression written on her face. Silver timorously avoided her gaze, and sighed.

Although clearly irritated, Blaze took a minute or two to examine his outfit. He was dressed elegantly in a black, cotton-like material that appeared as a long sleeved-shirt with white cuffs at the end; and gray slacks with long, black boots. It also appeared that the hedgehog had his quills swept back, which made her feel quite attracted to him.

"**Hail the Princess!" **

Blaze snapped out of her daze and tugged Silver's arm, the both of them walking at a steady pace as they exited the castle. As soon as they reached the outdoors, they were instantly greeted with mourning citizens and children, all of the staring sympathetically to the princess. Lucky for Blaze, she was spiritually prepared.

Silver looked warily to the cat, who was seemingly upset, and sighed. It wasn't his intentions to be late, but if he had the chance to explain; he was certain of Blaze's approval. Unfortunately for him, now wasn't the time.

Blaze stood herself aside a podium, while Silver sat himself on his own 'special' chair in the background.

"**All hail, the KING!"**

A thunder of applause greeted the remorseful king, who focused his attention straight ahead rather than greeting his fellow commoners. This shocked both the princess and the jester.

"Hello, my good people." The king announced unwillingly, "We've gathered here tonight… for a very saddening event."

A few voices in the crowd openly agreed with him. "I'd like for my daughter to express some of her words, before I go myself."

Blaze nodded gingerly, approaching the podium boldly and smiling directly at the crowd. "Good evening, my fellow citizens. I'd like to take the time to share my understanding of this situation _positively_."

The crowd began murmuring disbelievingly as the cat held her hand high, signaling to cease their chatting. "Yes, she was- no _is _– my mother, and she is not on this planet anymore. What I _do _know, is, that she is rejoicing in heaven. We all may not be able to express that enthusiasm because we will dearly miss her on this planet, where we are now, but she is certainly a much better place."

Nodding heads encouraged Blaze to continue. "Do not think wrongly, my good people, I do not _like _the fact that my mother is not with me here, tonight. I miss her terribly, and I will not see her physically again until the time comes; but the fact that I know that she is healthy is something beyond my own happiness. Words cannot describe how _relieving _it is to know that she is no longer chained by illness and weakness. She is strong and with our Father, amen?"

A roar of applause rang throughout wind, and tears of joy were shed in the process; which included the king. Blaze turned behind her, and smiled to Silver who seemed to be a bit shameful due to his earlier stupidity. Regardless, Blaze gestured for him to stand by her.

"You all know my jester!" Blaze chuckled happily, "I know this is a memorial service… but this silver-boy right here _helped_ me gain something that has been lost for the longest time."

The crowd anxiously waited for her response.

"My _faith_," she spoke quietly, "My faith was regained recently, and now I feel changed."

Silver felt flustered, flattered, ALL of the above knowing he had_ helped_ the cat spiritually. Before, he could only dream of such, and now it came to pass.

Blaze bowed politely and concluded her announcement; "Thank you."

After a moment of applause, the king approached the podium and began grieving his words solemnly. Blaze and Silver sat next to each other, respectfully listening to the king.

Once he had completed his speech, the crowd, king, and of course Silver and Blaze proceed with the queen's burial. The body was placed inside a large case, and a hole was prepared ahead of time. Everyone began praying and sharing their thoughts and sorrowful words to both the king and princess, and for hours they continued their sorrow.

* * *

><p>Blaze and Silver were dismissed early by the king in order to rest, and they couldn't be any more thrilled to finally relieve themselves of such sadness.<p>

They stood outside the door to Blaze's room and began talking silently.

"Why were you late?" Blaze asked, crossing her arms.

"Well, I guess you could say I was busy…"

Blaze lifted an eye ridge in question. "You… were busy?"

Silver nodded and began surveying the area. "Let's discuss this in your room."

Blaze sighed and shrugged her shoulders, opening her door. To her surprise, the lights were off and it was nearly pitch black. She scurried to the nearest lamp and turned it on, and it dimly lit the room. It was enough to see what was _inside_.

"Oh, Silver…" Blaze gasped, "Did you…?"

Her room was filled with several different flowers scattered around the floor, her bed, and even her desk; it was simply adorned in flowers. Blaze understood the jester's intentions, and hugged him quickly.

"Did you pluck these from the garden? They're so lovely! However, I don't recognize them from my garden."

"No, I left the premises and I hand-picked the wild flowers that I was explaining earlier."

"They're gorgeous…"

Blaze spotted two particular flowers, however, that was perched on her pillow that sat next to each other. One was a beautifully flourished rose that was crested with yellow on the petals, and the other one was a beautiful white one, ridged with yellow all the same.

"Silver…" she giggled, pointing to them. Silver simply looked away, flustered with red on his cheeks.

"Yeah," he chuckled sheepishly, "I thought it was cute."

"Haha, well… I think _you're _cute."

'_Did I just say that…?' _Blaze thought uneasily, both the princess and the jester felt their cheeks pumped with warmth.

"U-Uh, thank you?"

The whole situation seemed awkward; since the lights were dimmed, flowers were scattered everywhere, and the both of them were dressed rather fancily.

"We should turn on the rest of the lights." Blaze peeped, turning to another one of her lamps.

"Yes…"

As soon as the room was alight brightly, the two smiled and began conversing once more.

"You did a lovely job today with your speech, Blaze." The hedgehog commented, "It was very soulful and encouraging."

"Thank you, but was it me or did my father seem… a little dazed?"

"I've noticed that, too! When I spoke with him earlier, about our breakfast, I don't think he had fully apprehended the question. Perhaps he's a bit shaken from the passing of your mother?"

"Perhaps… it isn't like him, though, which is why I have my suspicions."

The two paused for a moment, both of them lost in their thoughts and opinions. Silver soon broke the silence; "How are you?"

"Ha, I'm fine… and you?"

"Great."

"That was slightly random, Silver… is something on your mind?"

The ivory hedgehog shook his head. "Nothing… well actually, _no_, I do have something in my mind. It pleases me so much, Princess, to know that you're beginning to become so open and happy- around people mind you- and that your faith has become so inspiring."

Blaze blushed a little at the compliment.

"I just feel like I need to say this, I will do _anything _for you, Blaze. Anything for your welfare, but not because it's my job; I've spiritually linked myself to you. I pray for you, and I just think you're important in my life." With that last statement, Silver ended his little speech. He seemed frankly relieved to express such emotion to her, and took a deep breath.

At first Blaze thought the comment itself was perhaps a little too passionate, but in due time the cat slowly became humble and appreciative. Her eyes twinkled with happiness, and she sighed.

"That means a lot to me," She admitted, "I love y- uh, I… I love that you care for me that much."

Silver nodded, giving the cat a loving hug. Blaze chuckled and hugged him back, feeling the soft material of his shirt. It tempted her to pull back and kiss his lips, but she knew they were too young; she wasn't terribly sure if she knew love and its complexities.

One thing was for certain, she _loved _her best friend, and nothing in this world could physically replace him.

"Well, I should be going to rest now." Silver sighed, pulling himself out of the hug.

"Yes, it is late… sleep well, Silver."

The hedgehog nodded and winked to Blaze, shutting the door to her room lightly.

Blaze took the two flowers on her bed and inhaled their aroma and closed her eyes pleasingly. In a daze, Blaze waltzed off of her bed and set the flowers on her desk, and skipped frivolously into her room.

* * *

><p>The white hedgehog tossed and turned in his bed uncomfortably, unable to rest peacefully as everyone in the castle has. His mind was completely occupied with pleasant thoughts of Blaze and his life, and of course thanking Him for every second.<p>

Silver rolled himself off the bed and threw his arms into the air, yawning loudly into his palms. Hi overbearing curiosity led him to leave his room and quietly down the hall to Blaze's room. To his relief, there were no guards on patrol to question his motives.

The door to Blaze's room creaked open, and Silver's bright, golden eyes peered inside. The cat was resting peacefully with the moonlight shining on her sleeping figure. He crept inside and watched the cat's chest rise and fall as her breaths heaved lightly on his fur.

He glanced at the two flowers sitting on the desk in front of the bed, and grinned. He quietly approached it and took the purple flower, creeping back to her and placing it by her ear, where the rest of her hair fell elegantly beside her face.

"You're just as beautiful as a flourished rose, Blaze." He whispered to the cat softly, stroking her face with a single finger. He attempted to rise but Blaze had gripped his hand tightly and she kissed it, whispering.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome…"

_A/N: THE FLUFF! IT'S TOO MUCH! xD Time jump ahead, incoming! : D_


	8. Dancing at Dawn

**Dancing at Dawn;**

_Four years after that night, Blaze and Silver continued to share their untouchable friendship, which led to a much more complicated matter. The time came where Blaze realized she needed to prepare herself to rule the kingdom and allow her father to retire, however a question remains lodged in brain- **who will be the king?**_

Inside the throne room, Silver crouched beside a potted plant in order to conceal himself from the current situation; Blaze and her father discussing the matter of marriage. Such a subject made the hedgehog quiver in anxiety, since he knew he loved Blaze, and yet he was no where near the royalty of a prince. His ears perked up once the sound of Blaze's voice became audible.

"Father, what am I going to do? You're not going to let me marry unhappily, are you…?" Blaze droned quietly as she paced the floor.

"Of course not, dear, however we have to think of this clearly- in about a year people are going to expect the rise of a new king and queen, and you haven't even found a suitor."

"Well, there's Silver…"

The ivory hedgehog nearly tipped over at the mention of his name. A beads of sweat cascaded down his forehead as he began to breathe heavily; nervously awaiting the king's response.

"Blaze, dear, you know I would absolutely love for Silver to be your husband- he has the purest heart of any man I've ever seen. However, the fact remains that he is not a prince."

Blaze's eyes narrowed down to the floor. "Of course he isn't, he's my jester… he always has been. I'd prefer him over any precious artifact, father, over any other suitor."

The king sighed deeply and looked at his daughter thoughtfully. "I understand your feelings, dear…" he then chuckled, "You know, your mother wasn't a princess."

Blaze gasped and looked at her father disbelievingly. "That couldn't be true, father, she must've been a princess. Otherwise that throws the royal family policy…"

"She was the daughter of my servant," the king continued, "She came often to play with me whenever I had work to do. That woman did everything she could to make everything I do amusing. The reason I feel so much sympathy for Silver is because he reminds me of your mother, and how much she made me happy."

Silver's breaths became heavier as he anticipated the long moment of silence that followed after the king's statement. His golden eyes shrunk as he heard footsteps becoming louder towards his direction.

"Silver…" Blaze said sternly, "How long have you been eavesdropping?"

"Uh, well… the entire conversation… I suppose."

"This is private business!" Blaze snipped sharply, "I can't believe you would do this, Silver."

The ivory hedgehog frowned and looked to the princess sadly. "Blaze, I mean no harm… I just had an unbearable curiosity… including this entire marriage ordeal?"

Blaze's cheeks grew warm as she stared at the hedgehog down, and pondering on how to respond. A few moments later, she simply turned away and looked to her father. "What am I to do?"

"The year is still young, Blaze, all I ask is that you give this a decent amount of attention, okay? Just rest for now, don't stress about this too much." The king assured with concern.

Blaze gave a rather helpless sigh of relief, and nodded. "Okay, father." She stated simply before brushing by Silver purposely and walking away.

"Ahh, that was not the wisest decision you've made yet, Silver." The king chortled hoarsely, "Tell me, young man, since you've heard this entire conversation; how DO You feel about my daughter?"

Silver looked weakly the king, and sighed. "After my salvation, she is the best thing to have ever happened to me. I feel that without her, that there would be an empty void in my heart."

"Those words are full of passion, are they not?"

"Of course, sire."

"Then why haven't you told her this?"

Silver shifted uncomfortably in his stance. "Well, I never wanted to be forward, and I had these feelings developed four years ago, and was still so young."

"But look at yourself now, hedgehog, you've grown up to be a fine young man- a man of marrying age."

"I'm not a prince, your Majesty…"

"However you're nobility and justice surpasses that of a true prince."

Silver smiled at the king with an unmentionable happiness. "I'm grateful, your Majesty."

"Look Silver, I do not want to rush your or Blaze into this, so I will say the same thing I said to her- take it easy, and just take this into thought. If you earn her true love by the end of the year, I will see to it that the both of you are married."

"Alright… thank you, sire."

With that last statement, Silver slowly began departing from the throne room. A pang of guilt suddenly struck his senses, realizing that he just displeased the princess by eavesdropping. This brought Silver to conjuring another plan to gain her likeness.

* * *

><p>The morning sun greeted the eyes of the lavender cat warmly, who yawned lightly as her senses awakened. Ever since the discussion with her father, the princess felt heavy and exhausted due to her excessive pondering. Even if the jester did wrong her for the moment, she wished dearly that he was here to accompany her.<p>

As if her prayers were answered, the cat stared at a slit piece of paper that lay on her bedside table, and smiled. She picked it up and read the message on it:

_Come to courtyard as soon as you wake up, Blazes._

_-Silver_

Blaze smiled and stepped into a pair of flats as she hopped off her bed. After pulling over her nightgown into a robe, she exited her room and began making her way to the courtyard outside.

Even before she reached the palace doors, the windows reflected the bright rays of the sun into the room where she stood in awe. The princess giddily opened the door and stared out into the open, where dawn was still at its breathtaking state. The warm colors of the sky settled over the trees and flowers where the sun arched over. Birds were singing and flying through the air as they welcomed a new day.

The cat felt her heart tightening as her eyes finally rested on Silver, who stood gazing at her from afar. He smirked and waved a hand, beckoning for her to approach him. Blaze pranced in his direction as if she were eight again, and threw her arms around him.

"Good morning princess!" Silver greeted jocularly as he lifted Blaze from the hug and twirled her around.

After an array of giggles, Blaze landed on her feet and chuckled. "Silver, you know you can call me Blaze."

Silver shook his head in response. "I know that, however you are a princess and you should be treated as such. I feel that I've lacked in chivalry lately, so what better a gift than the beauty of dawn?"

Silver faced the directional dawn and breathed in, gesturing for Blaze to stand next to him. The princess smiled and stood beside him happily, staring at the glorious sight.

"I'm glad you brought me here, Silver." Blaze peeped as she looked to the ivory hedgehog willingly.

Silver gulped and nodded, trying to avoid her gaze. "Of course, Blaze, a-anything for you..."

The princess stared at him puzzled, and snickered. "You're hiding something, aren't you?"

"N-No, of course not- I'm… I'm just thinking."

"About what…?"

"Well, I'm just wondering, since you and I have been friends for the longest time, that if you actually liked the idea of our marriage."

Blaze smiled, turning to the hedgehog brightly. "I can't believe you would even ask, but of course I wouldn't mind- you're a lovely person, Silver."

"You too, Blaze."

The two shared each other's gaze for the longest time, not saying a word, simply inching closer.

"What should we do, Blaze?" Silver asked suddenly, however he remained dazed in her gaze.

"I suggest we at least begin a relationship…" she started slowly, "we don't have to rush this."

Silver felt his heart thump faster as he began swaying unconsciously. Blaze giggled and began swaying herself, not quite noticing that the two began waltzing across the grass. Blaze's loose hair began swaying frivolously in the wind as the continued to waltz, and her pink flats slipped off her feet.

They began dancing to soundless music, and enjoyed every second of it. After a while, the two simply stared at each other, not saying a word. Their equally golden eyes mesmerized their thoughts and emotions, which soon led them to lean closer.

Then, everything fell silent as their lips made contact; such a simple gesture, yet the most effective way of confirming emotions.

The princess was the first to withdraw from the warm kiss, and laid a single hand on his chest. The ivory hedgehog smiled began caressing her winded hair.

"Blaze,"

"Yes, Silver?"

"I think I like you…"

Blaze rolled her eyes and pushed away from his embrace. "Well, I don't feel that way." She snorted coldly. Silver nearly wailed, but he quickly paused as the princess wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I don't feel that way, because I _know _I _love _you."

Silver welcomed another kiss as Blaze quickly pulled him in and out of it, and soon enough they were dancing again.

"_What better gift than the beauty of dawn?"_

* * *

><p>AN: Woo, we still have a little while to go until the end of the story~! You think their relationship will flourish from here? ;3


	9. An Evening with Memories

**An Evening with Memories;**

On a mildly cool evening, with the nocturnal life fantasizing the night with endless music, preparations was taking place within the castle's corridors. Silver rushed by every room to ensure that Blaze was no where near for the time being, as he rushed to the kitchen and greeted the awaiting chef; a large, dusty brown bear who relaxed lazily on a rocking chair.

"Hello," Silver greeted softly as he inched closer to the chef, "Can you perhaps have this prepared?" He slipped the male bear a picture of what seemed to be a pastry, and waited patiently for his response.

The bear yawned and glanced at the image and smiled. "Sure, child, how many?"

"Two is enough, thank you kindly good sir, and if you could possibly prepare them in a basket?" the ivory hedgehog asked with expressive gratitude.

"A simple task," the chef snickered, "Come back in about an hour."

"Perfect!"

Silver slid out the door and hurried off, trying to stay well hidden between hallways and doors. As he rushed towards his room, to his surprise he spotted Blaze walking quickly in his direction, carrying what seemed to be a large package. Silver cringed as he attempted to hide himself, and found himself silent. It pained him to know that assisting her wasn't a current option, and bit his lip.

A few moments later, Blaze cornered into a room and shut the door. Silver heaved a sigh of relief and rushed further down the hall, and thrust himself into his room. "That was close," he blurted between breaths, "I can't risk such a precious surprise. Okay, suitable attire, suitable attire..." he repeated under his breath, clumsily approaching a large closet that stored many different options of formal wear. He had worn many of them multiple times, which he currently detested since he wanted a more appealing look rather than a repetition of the past.

With that thought in mind, he paced out of his room and into a dressing room, where he usually brought his attire to be hemmed or placed on. "Ah, Vanity, are you in here?" he called out shyly, creeping through the door.

"Ah, Silver," a sleek, creamy-white cat purred as she padded out of her closet, "What do you need, child? May I help you with something?"

"Greetings Vanity," Silver greeted sheepishly, "Um, there is going to be a special occasion regarding the princess and I, and I was wondering if there happened to be anything that may be more of, uh, different appeal?"

The cat's piercing green eyes narrowed towards him playfully. "You and the princess?" she questioned slyly, "Are the two of you courting?"

Silver's eyes shrank in sheer embarrassment and began playing with the bells near his chest. "Well, I, uh- you see,"

"Say nothing of it child," Vanity chirped in victory, "I understand the feeling- you want a more attractive appearance, yes?"

"I, uh, suppose... if those are the words you'd like to put them in."

"There's no need for bashful regards, dear, 'tis a natural expression of love." Vanity said breathily as she eyed Silver up and down. "Okay, dear, allow me to treat you to a small makeover, yes?"

Silver smiled modestly and peeped, "I won't look too different, will I?"

Vanity grinned cheekily and chuckled, "Of course not, Silver, allow me to bring out the best in you with a... how you say, a little more spark."

* * *

><p><em>Bustling madly about her room, Blaze is presently tending to the kingdom's complaints.<em>

Blaze flitted about in her room, demonstrating an intense feeling of exasperation and stress. She tore several sheets of paper and tossed them into bins, rushing back and forth from her desk and the piling trash. "These complaints are becoming unbearable," she hissed silently, "Taxes, theft, taxes, theft, and an exclusive amount of TAXES!" she spat blatantly as a burst of her fiery energy emanated from the palms of her hands.

"Alright Blaze," she stammered breathlessly, "I need to focus, there has to be a legitimate problem in this pile, so I'll just look through them calmly." She grabbed one of the feathers and dipped it lightly in a container of ink, and began writing notes and bits of information she knew her father could attend to.

As the hours passed by, the princess found herself piling up the last of her paperwork and setting them down on her desk. She yawned loudly enough to jolt even her tiring senses, and slowly made her way to her bed. "It is 7pm," she read her clock lazily as her eyes began closing, falling into a deeper sleep than she expected.

* * *

><p>Silver gave a sheepish grin as he stared at his coequally bashful reflection, staring down his revised look. Vanity managed to put an ensemble together of matching colors of blacks and grays, which brought out the most in Silver's brightly tinted fur. The woman also styled his quills to sweep back, farther than his previous appearance at the funeral, and groomed his larger quills to curve towards the front from his back.<p>

"Do you suppose she'll like it?" he asked quietly, observing the small details to his newer look.

"Ah Silver, you're a handsome hedgehog, if she sees you like this, I'm sure she'll _love _it." Vanity assured lightly, patting his shoulders.

"Thank you, lady Vanity, I appreciate your keen eye for specific wardrobes, I am in your debt."

"Fret nothing of it, Silver, view it as a gift."

Silver bowed respectively and rushed out the door and raced against the clock to receive the pastries he had been expecting. He darted into the kitchen where the chef smiled and held the basket in his direction. "All done,"

"Thank you, good sir!" Silver thanked happily, "Rest well!"

The chef nodded and watched as Silver took the basket and began walking stiffly towards Blaze's room down the hall.

Beads of sweat trickled down the ivory hedgehog's forehead, the thoughts of this night rushing into his brain. He knocked on the door lightly as he pushed the door open slowly. "Blaze?" he whispered, "Are you… oh my," he sighed breathily.

The princess was sprawled out across her bed, sleeping heavily and peacefully. Silver quietly placed the basket on her desk and kneeled beside her bed, nudging her arms softly. He pressed his lips lightly onto her hand and chuckled lightly. "My beautiful princess…" he whispered warmly into her ear.

Blaze's eyes slowly lifted to meet that of Silver's, and a noticeable blush pumped warmth into her cheeks. "Silver… y-you look… dashing…" she cooed airily, "I missed you today… what brings you by?"

"Would you mind if I cradled you in my arms and perhaps bring you with me someplace? It's outside the castle, but I assure it's not far from here." he asked soothingly, as he nuzzled her forehead. Blaze purred cutely as she nodded, "Yes… however I'm not properly dressed for the outdoors."

Silver shook his head and dug his hands beneath her and slowly lifted her up. "The nature of your beauty doesn't originate from your appearance at all… as long as you lift your head high in the air and bring forth your lovely laugh and enjoyment; you're just a precious in every way." He responded poetically, using his tail to lift the basket by the handle as he carried her in his arms.

Blaze cuddled her head against his jacket comfortingly and pressed her eyelids against his downy chest fur. "You're such a Romantic," he giggled lightly, "You're going to have to write me a poem someday."

Silver smirked and said, "A poem about your beauty? I'm sure there are no real words to describe that."

"Oh, Silver…"

"What, was I too typical?"

The two shared each other's laughs as Silver exited the room, and soon the castle. The two admired the beautiful scenery as they walked beyond the great wall that enclosed the castle's property. Blaze smiled brightly to experience a full scale night show. The leaves of the trees brushed across the bowing grass, and the lakes shimmered with light as the moon presently reflected its beauty among the environment.

As they continued to walk, a meadow came into view. "This is the place," Silver alerted the sleepy princess, who nodded rather dazed. Silver approached the soft grass and stopped near the center of the waving wild flowers.

"What a beautiful meadow…" Blaze said quietly as Silver set the basket down. He gently sat himself on the soft grass and rest Blaze's head on his lap.

"Isn't it?" he agreed firmly, yet softly, "This is the meadow where I got the flowers from a few years ago, remember?"

Blaze nodded and rolled from her position so that her face looked up at Silver. "Yes, I do!" she chirped, "That was so sweet of you."

Silver smiled, soon thereafter chuckling. "You know, it was my grandmother who introduced me to that little trick," he inquired jocularly, "I was having a terrible day that day, failing to beg for anything or anyone to help our family. So I rested on a haystack in a shack that I called home, weeping for a miracle to happen."

Blaze's expression faded into a more serious and sympathetic look. "Really, Silver?"

The ivory hedgehog nodded. "Yes, life gave me many trials those years of my childhood. Crying felt like a chore everyday, and begging was my life. Although crying was a form of my releasing sadness, which evidently made me feel better afterward… although one day, my grandmother gifted me with such a pleasant surprise. She had plucked wildflowers from this very meadow, and shrouded my living space with lovely scented flowers."

Blaze smiled warmly at the thought, and nodded for him to continue.

"When I opened my eyes to greet the flowers, I asked her why she had brought in all of these beautiful flowers… and I'll never forget what she said…"

"What did she say?"

"She told me that flowers are a pure form of natural beauty and expression. Not only do flowers have an astounding outer beauty, they have an inner form that is just as gorgeous as their outer, and that was the scent they carried."

"How lovely…" Blaze mused dreamily.

Silver looked down at the cat lovingly and said, "This is why I often compare you to flowers, Princess, because not only are you beautiful, you contain a beauty that exceeds any appearance. Although, you as a whole flourishes more beautifully than any flower."

Blaze blushed brightly and cupped his left hand in hers. "Silver… I-I can't…" she lifted herself from her laying position and tackled him to the ground in a loving hug. "I can't express how beautiful your words can be sometimes! You truly are a Romantic!" she laughed, "You're such a blessed soul…"

Silver chuckled and rested his weight on his elbows as Blaze hugged him tightly around his neck. "I can't hide the truth," he confessed honestly, "That's how expressive I can be."

Blaze smiled kissed his forehead lightly before bouncing back and sitting down in front of him. "What's in the basket?" she asked curiously.

Silver smiled and gave the basket to Blaze. "It's a common, delicious pastry that you might know of."

Blaze gasped and opened the basket, pulling out one of the pastries inside. "A glazed, strawberry danish! How thoughtful of you, Silver!" she squealed lightly, taking a large bite into the beckoning treat. Silver laughed and took his own and began eating it.

"These flowers are something…" Blaze murmured between bites, laying her right, bare hand and placing it on the soft grass.

"Indeed," Silver agreed lightly as he completed his light dessert. "I hope you consider this worthy enough to start our relationship… I worked very hard to prepare everything in time."

Blaze smirked smugly and eyed Silver from toes to quills, "I can see that, I really can't tell you how dashing you look. I take it Vanity assisted you with that rather attractive quill style, hm?"

"Everything I wear is of her taste," Silver responded shyly, "I-I'm glad y-you think so."

Blaze smiled cheekily and laughed. "Are you not comfortable with that word, Silver?"

"What word?"

"_Attractive_?"

Silver grinned sheepishly and waved his hands in defeat. "I-I guess… I've never taken that view of myself in all honesty, Blaze."

The princess giggled and nodded. "Well, if you need to hear it from me, then you must! _You are attractive_, just like flowers. Attractive male flowers," she laughed hardly.

Silver grinned, lowering his eyelids as he brashly commented, "Are you saying I smell good, too?" in a darker tone. The two laughed loudly and harshly for a good few minutes, spitting compliments about each other's appearance all the while.

"Silver, I can't stop laughing! HALT!" she yelped loudly in his face as Silver rolled onto his back laughing harder. Eventually the laughing subsided, and the two lay next to each other, cuddled amongst the grass with their hands clenched together.

"Silver?"

"Yes?"

"What has become of your grandmother?" Blaze asked hesitantly.

"Oh, she passed away shortly before I began begging near the castle." He sighed, "But it's okay, I view nearly the same way you view your mother's passing."

"That's good, at least."

Blaze rolled onto her side and stared at Silver quietly. She began patting the material of his jacket and soon cuddled closer to him. The ivory hedgehog smiled as she began sleeping lightly on his arm. Silver plucked a few flowers beside him and showered them over her face. One in particular fell on her rising chest, near her neck, which made it appear as a choker. Silver smiled warmly and placed a kiss on her puckered lips, and proceeded to lift her up and return her home, leaving the basket to remain in the center of the meadow.

* * *

><p><em>Inside the throne room…<em>

The king paced insecurely as he read over a letter clenched tightly in his hands repeatedly.

"_Good day his Majesty of the western territories, I am here to present an invitation to the kingdom of __Litha__. As a friendly gesture, it would be an honor if the princess of your kingdom would kindly meet out own prince, and perhaps we could conjoin our powers to rule fairly over both lands. If you decide to meet with us, please arrive in our kingdom three days from now. _

_King Venice_

The lion's left hand coursed through his mane as he pondered the thoughts of his daughter and her jester, since they recently began a relationship. "What am I to do…"

Soon enough, he came to the conclusion that the marriage of a prince was brought forth as a crucial factor to the kingdom's welfare. However, taking in his daughter's emotion into more thought, he devised a plan to meet the prince without much conflict.

**A/N: Ooh, pretty intense, yeah? Will Blaze remain with Silver? Or is the kingdom's welfare going to interfere with their flourishing love? To top it all off, who's the prince? All that and more to come! Hope this makes a good come back!**


	10. The Mentality of the Heart P1

**The Mentality of the Heart (Part One);**

_Approximately two days later, the king found himself throwing the news onto his daughter, who responded negatively. After a fit of enragement, she had locked herself in her room, and refused to come out, rejecting even who Silver who tried several times to accompany her. However, the king suggested that he remain silent for the next few days, **because he didn't know the situation**. For this reason, Blaze isn't only angered, she is **terrified**._

Upon approaching the entrance to Blaze's room, the king hastily paced the floor before knocking on the princess's door. "Dear, would you please come out?"

"…"

Not a single response came from the other side of the door. The lion sighed heavily, knowing that his daughter did not take the matter of the prince kindly. Becoming slightly more assertive, he insisted, "Blaze, come out, honey. You're eighteen now, we don't have to treat each other to a test of silence."

"…"

The door to her room creaked open slightly, and as king entered silently he watched his daughter sulk into the dark room and hop carelessly onto her bed. "You could have warned me the day you received the letter," her voice hissed out darkly, "Instead you chose to alert me at the _very _last moment, father?"

"I didn't want to face the moment, I'll admit it dear, but-"

"If you would've told me this earlier, I could've emotionally prepared myself so I could face _my _moment, and that's Silver."

"I know, dear, I know…" the king mumbled, "It was not a wise decision on my behalf; however this is optional, which I thought could be for the best."

"Father," Blaze spat sternly as she sat up and looked to him, "Optional? You and I both know that either way, somehow I'll end up in that kingdom speaking with the prince- _you _know that."

"…" The lion fell silent has his daughter's glaring gold eyes narrowed towards his face. Her eyes spoke to him clearly that she was hurt and confused, and he knew the emotional trials this has already begun to put her through.

"All I want to know is…" Blaze began coldly, "Why you would encourage me about Silver, and our possible marriage, allowing us to _finally _start a relationship after ten years of such a blissful companionship that we could've kept. You know of this because I come to you every single night, I tell you what a wonderful person he is, and how happy he has made me."

"Blaze, that's just it," the king countered, "You have achieved such happiness due to his _friendship_… so are you going to allow a small flaw on my behalf ruin your _friendship?"_

"… If I didn't love him, father, I would not… but because he has taken my heart, I can safely say that there will be emptiness in our relationship if I continue to speak with him or make contact with him."

A discreet silence filled the unsettled atmosphere as the princess stood to her feet and proceeded to turn on the lamps to her room. "I shall prepare myself," Blaze sighed sharply, "I suggest you do the same, if I'm to meet this prince."

"What of Silver?"

"… I won't allow him to come or know of this. If he's going to know of the breakage of our relationship, he'll hear my words from my mouth."

* * *

><p>Blaze approached the readied carriage forwardly and stiffly, not glancing once to her fellow commoners waving goodbye. Before she could even think of entering the carriage, a desperate voice called her name, "<em>Blaze<em>!"

The cat winced at the sound of such a familiar voice, the voice a friend that never separated from her side for ten years straight. She wondered if ignoring his cry would help her enter the carriage 'without knowing' that he called.

It was too late.

As hand was placed delicately on her shoulder, a warm gush of acid filled her stomach as she turned to her former love interest. "Silver," she greeted weakly, "I-I'm sorry you're not able to attend this banquet…"

"Oh, that's quite alright," Silver chuckled, "It's all in fairness, after all this a matter of royal _affairs_ and must not be tampered with!"

"_Affairs,_" Blaze echoed bleakly.

"Well, royal duties, yes?"

"Of course…"

Blaze bit her lip and quickly changed the currently subject. "Will you be alright by yourself here? Is there anything you need before my departure?"

"I'm fine, precious," he cooped happily, "I promised to help maintain the kitchen and a few of the more custodial duties while you're away. Although I'll be awfully bored not amusing you in any way or form."

Blaze gulped as she gave a hasty nod. "R-Right…" she stammered, "I see my father coming…" she drawled.

The lion nodded Silver in greeting and gestured for Blaze to enter the carriage. "I should move on, now." She concluded after a short period of silence.

"Blaze…"

The cat looked up to her jester and squeaked, "Mhm?"

Without much of a warning, Silver kissed her lips nuzzled her after breaking apart, "I'll miss you…" he murmured, "Take care, my beautiful princess."

Blaze's thoughts buzzed endlessly as she placed a hand on her mouth, nodded, and entered the carriage before bursting into a river of tears. Silver, being rather oblivious didn't notice, and waved them a cheerful goodbye.

As the carriage began to move, Blaze continued to rub her lips thoughtfully, realizing that could've been the very last gesture of love Silver would _ever _share with her, and inwardly cherished the moment and the words he said.

The king, sitting beside her, simply looked to her sadly, and muttered, "I'm sorry…"

Blaze looked to him with intense anguish for a brief moment, and responded with a subtle anger, "All if forgiven due to the respect of my Father, but please remember this when I tell you, I shall _not _forget of this."

The king echoed the haunting words in his head as the carriage fell into a discreet silence the entire way to the castle.

* * *

><p>After an hour's worth of travel, the desired destination came into view as the carriage pulled up front of the large castle. Blaze, being to first to exit, began to prepare her outward appeal as her father offered an arm as an escort.<p>

Blaze politely refused, "Thank you, father, however I'm able to present myself… if that's alright with you of course." She spoke with pseudo kindness.

"Whatever you'd like, my daughter,"

"Thank you."

The father and daughter's eyes welcomed what seemed to be thing king and prince of the kingdom. Blaze carefully examined the duo males and pondered.

The king was rather stocky compared to her father, who appeared to be an older badger. He too dressed with nothing but a kingly cape and, of course, his crown. Judging by first impressions, he seemed to be a friendly, wise king.

The much taller and more built badger beside him was obviously the prince, who looked at the princess handsomely with a charming smile. He wore the fanciest of attire, all of which were either royal blue or gold, and atop his head was a quaint poet's hat.

"Welcome to our kingdom," the king greeted heartily as he and his son marched to the father and daughter with an over-welcoming grin. "I am King Lot," the older badger introduced pompously, "I say, I do hope you enjoy your visit!"

The prince politely bowed in the presence of the king and then approached Blaze with an innocent, child-like smile. "Hello, princess, I'm known as Prince Rune, however feel free to disregard 'Prince'." He chuckled sheepishly as he took her hand and kissed it lightly; a common gesture.

"A pleasure to meet your _acquaintance_," she exaggerated purposely, "I am Princess Blaze, and likewise as far as formalities go."

King Lot smiled brightly to the lion and sighed, "Ah, King Titus, I'd like to thank you for accepting our humble offer."

"Think nothing of it," Titus responded flatly, "Thank you for allowing us to visit."

"Yes of course, let us enter, shall we? From here we'll continue about business between kings and allow our lovely children to enjoy themselves?" Lot suggested lightly, looking to the royal young adults.

"Of course,"

Rune extended his arm towards Blaze nicely, "Would you like an escort?"

Blaze nodded slowly before looping arms with his, and the two followed the kings into the castle and began aimlessly through the corridors.

As the kings began discussing terms and business, Blaze pondered deeply about the interior, feeling as if the kingdom was not quite as wealthy as far as the architecture, decoration, and overall atmosphere goes, however she figured her own taste felt superior and wished to stay on a more humble and generous side.

"It's not much to look at," Rune admitted shyly, "We aren't of the wealthiest."

"Oh, I care not for such nonsense," Blaze responded flatly, "I view it simply as a castle that carries two capable rulers with a stable kingdom."

"That's very kind of you to say," Rune politely thanked, "Would you like to see anything specific?"

"Wherever you guide me I will follow."

"All right then, proceeding to a few of my personal favorite spots."

Rune guided her through the small corridors of the castle, and they eventually ended up in front of what seemed to be an exit. Rune opened the door for her, and led her to a beautiful and lustrous garden- even more so than her own. The entire area was masked by growing flowers galore, and it was simply adorned in vines and elegantly tall columns of stone.

"What a beautiful garden," Blaze sighed lightly, "This is simply precious, and the aroma here is simply intoxicating."

Rune blushed slightly as he nodded, "Thank you, I'm in charge of this garden, so I'm flattered."

Deep inside of Blaze's mind, she knew that her heart was aching at the very thought of flowers and the ever-so-familiar roses flowering in different areas of the garden. She knew she couldn't view life the way she did before Silver, however she continued to respect his work and looked to him.

"What is your favorite flower?" she asked.

"I love the pink roses the most," he responded slowly, "I find them lovely."

Blaze smiled warmly. "That's nice, my favorite happens to be a wild flower… a white one, rimmed with a golden yellow."

"Well, remind me to grow a bush specifically for your liking," he flirted sheepishly, blushing rather hard.

"That's sweet," she chuckled as she blushed slightly herself

Although she felt hurt and unattainable, at the same time, she felt… peaceful. Only to an extent however, but she found herself contently looking at the flowers and as she toured with the polite prince. _He isn't a bad soul… _Blaze thought slowly, _He doesn't seem to have the desperation of an average prince hoping to marry for the good of our kingdoms. He actually cares to listen to me._

After recalling her train of thought, she almost physically jumped and panicked in her head. _What in the world am I thinking? After expressing an extensive amount of anger towards my father telling him I'll be sharing Silver the bad news of a forced marriage, I'm actually…enjoying it?_

"Is there anything you need, Blaze? I'll be more than happy to fetch you something; after all you have been quite dazed ever since your arrival." The prince noted quietly, "Am I being forward at all? Is something making your uncomfortable?"

Blaze bit her lip as she nodded slowly. "I have several things tugging the depths of my heart today, however-"

"It isn't of my business to know, correct?"

"Well, I wouldn't place it in such heavy terms, but… yes."

Rune smiled as he nodded respectively. "That's quite alright, princess, you don't have to share anything with me if it's for the benefit of your emotions. If it helps I, too, am a bit timid about this whole ordeal. My father decided to place this weight on me shortly after your arrival."

"Agreed," Blaze chuckled, "It's placed a lengthy spell on me, I admit."

"I feel marriage shouldn't be rushed," the prince huffed, "Or placed upon someone… but somehow my father and mother always find a way to make it beneficial."

Blaze was a little shocked to find the prince overly understanding of the situation. She dared to ask, "Is… this affecting a love life of yours, currently?"

The prince shook his head. "No," he responded rather blatantly, "I've never began a real search up until today, which I find to be a terrible compromise. I hate the fact the princesses in the area would come one after the other if I, or the other, reject to love each other."

"At least you have a choice," Blaze muttered, "It's not like a love at first sight, where it's on a first come first serve basis."

"Princess, I would understand if I wouldn't be your love, I will alert both of our fathers if I need to." Rune told Blaze sympathetically, "I wouldn't place any blame on you."

"No, no," Blaze sighed, "We've barely bonded, so I can jump to conclusions just yet. Perhaps we can acquaint each other over a cup of tea?"

"That sounds lovely," Rune agreed lightly, "I would be honored."

Blaze smiled as the two began to walk out of the garden, opening the door that led inside the castle once again.

"Princess, since you've asked me, I feel it's only fair to ask this question back to you," Rune began slowly.

"What is it?"

"Has this ordeal… perhaps, interfere with a current relationship? Are… you in love?"

Blaze gasped inwardly and looked to Rune hurtfully. She looked down to the floor and pondered deeply, holding back the tears and courage to tell him the truth. "No…" she responded deeply, "_Not anymore_."

* * *

><p>AC: BLAZE? WHAT DID YOU SAY?

So, a lot happened in this chapter. There's a lot to be said on Blaze's behalf, which is why I split this chapter into two halves. What just happened is that Blaze is so torn by the fact that she's being forced to visit the prince that she's denying even the friendship she and Silver share.

How could this possibly affect her so much, you may ask? If you think about it, she started a relationship not even a few days ago, and realizing that if they truly loved each other, their friendship would entirely be affected. Why wouldn't she want even to make contact with him? That's a secret that will be revealed over time.

Note that I don't support OCxCANON, Rune is simply character fodder for this particular story. Just remember that this ~whole~ story is about Silvaze. Speaking of Rune, he seems awful polite, don't you think? Take note of that until Part Two comes around in a few days…


	11. The Mentality of the Heart P2

**The Mentality of the Heart (P2);**

Time seemed to had passed at a slower pace once the royal pair had settled themselves at a table with cups of tea. They sat there silently until Blaze began a casual conversation, "So, Rune, please acquaint me with your father, does he have a particular hobby?"

The badger's eyes lifted to hers, and he gave a calm smile. "King Lot of the eastern terrotories, or by my vision, a pompous fool over a game of croquet. He fancies himself an expert when he can barely hit the ball with the mallet." he joked, giving the princess before him a small giggle fit.

"He sounds like a happy fellow, my father is quite the same; although he has never partaken in any form of sport. Perhaps you can ask your father to invite mine to ignite a friendly game."

Rune nodded his head in agreement. "Of course, but by knowing him so well, all I would need to say is there is a game of croquet occuring soon, and he won't hesitate a bit."

The purple cat lifted her teacup to her mouth and sipped the beverage lightly._ 'What a pleasing man... this couldn't be any more unpleasant for me, however, even if he is charming.'_ she thought helplessly, and Rune instantly caught the shift in her expression.

It was his turn to begin another conversation, he figured; "Blaze, from what I hear is that your kingdom is vast and quite lively, do you ever commune with your subjects?"

"Why yes," Blaze began, "We often hold public celebrations for our people to enjoy, and I get to meet many of them- but not long enough to start a friendship, sadly." she responded bitterly.

Rune acknowledged the explanation with a small sigh. "Well, I'm glad you're able to to do such, many of our subjects are mischevious and seceretive, so we've had to remain within the castle to avoid the outlaws that often threaten us."

Blaze's eyes widened in shock. "Are you saying your kingdom does not appreciate your leadership?"

"Not quite, my point is that we have many outlaws living in this kingdom because we hold the largest prison of all the land. I would assume when your kingdom has it's troubles, your prisoners are sent here, as well as the other kingdoms." Rune explained, "Not only that, we have our reasons to remain hesitant- we've had a large case of betrayal recently."

"What happened?"

"Our royal advisor had been plotting a scheme to rule our kingdom and to start a war with any opposing threat, the first target being your kingdom. So we sent him to prison..."

Blaze was deep in thought for a while. "Was this perhaps... an alert for the safety of both our kingdoms?" she asked curiously.

The badger's eyes slowly shut, and he nodded. "It was my idea... when he threatened to invade your kingdom, I knew that having our army defending BOTH of our kingdoms would be fatal. Since we've placed him in prison, I mentioned to my father the possibility of joining our kingdoms to avoid future conflicts."

Blaze couldn't help but feel warm and appreciative of the humble prince, her golden eyes were enlightened; almost the same way with Silver. _'I... I can't be...'_ she thought with her heart pounding,_ 'He's so thoughtful and protective... are these feelings true?'_

"Rune," her voice squeaked out, "That is... very noble of you." the princess soothed, "I can't help but feel merciful and thankful now in your presence."

Rune waved his hands, "Oh princess, I can't stand the vulnerability that could've been in your kingdom's possession at that time, but I don't want this reason to affect your opinion of a forced marriage."

The purple cat chuckled. "Calm yourself, Rune, we're acquainting with each other, tis' natural if we learn a few things about each other. As of now, I know you're nobility surpasses many."

A blush peered upon the cheeks of the badger. "Thank you, Princess."

_'Thank you, Princess...'_ Silver's voice echoed in Blaze's brain, which caused her to flinch. "Rune, is it possible for us to meet with our fathers? I'd like to know the current stand point in their discussion."

"Yes, of course." Rune responded quickly, lifting himself off of his chair and offering a hand to the princess. She grasped it and stood to her feet quickly, unaware she was nearly up to his chest in the act.

"Oh, excuse me." Blaze stammered awkwardly.

"It's quite alright." the badger responded quietly, leaving the both to stare at each other for a short period of time.

"Perhaps we should begin... moving." Blaze peeped timorously, stepping back an inch.

"Of course."

With that final statement, the royal pair began making their way inside the kingdom.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in the kitchen of the western kingdom, Silver found himself playing with a mop and had been dancing to an inaudible tune. To his surprise, he found himself slipping on the wet floor and falling face flat against the marble texture.<p>

"Ow," he groaned, "I suppose it's not wise to dance while cleaning the floors." he commented lightly, almost expecting a certain laugh beside him. Unfortunately to his discouragement, his beautiful princess wasn't at his side for him to enjoy or please.

"Oh Blaze..." he sighed sadly, "All I ever want to do is make you smile, and make you the happiest soul in the universe..." he droned poetically.

He sat for a while, pondering on his beloved before staring down his reflection in the crystal-clear marble below him. Before he could resume his work, he noticed the image of himself beginning to transform into what seemed to be a valiant knight.

He nearly shouted in surprise before he registered the figure carefully. "Hold on a moment..." Silver whispered, "I know you."

"As do I." the knight responded, "During your previous hardship with the princess many years ago."

Silver didn't want to recall the horrible event that day, but it came to him like many bricks against his heart. "Now I remember..." he sighed, "However you encouraged me anyhow. I suppose I owe you my thanks."

"No need, all thanks are directed above," the knight responded gratefully, "However, you do have another issue at hand."

Silver's eyes reduced in size. "Wait, I do? What's going on, is something the matter?"

"Not yet... but time isn't of the essence. The only question I have to ask you is, where is the princess?"

"She's in the eastern kingdom of Litha, is she okay?" Silver asked almost desperately, "What's the matter?"

"Ponder your answer, young one, and He'll reveal the answers to you. My specific task for you is to keep an ear for..."

"For what?" Silver asked dramatically.

"The news."

Silver sat puzzled, staring at the knight disbelievingly. "The... news, as in... the news. That's all?"

"For the most part!" the knight responded jocularly, "However, in all seriousness, keep a listening ear for the events that are to occur. In that time, you'll understand the matter- think of it as _test of your faith_.."

The knight vanished, and Silver's coequally confused reflection returned on the marble floor."Well, I suppose I'll have to consult with the library often until this event." Silver assumed, "I sure hope my princess won't be affected."

* * *

><p>Now seated at the throne room of the eastern kingdom, Rune, Blaze, King Titus, King Lot and his wife Queen Vivian sat conversing happily amongst each other.<p>

"I could not be any more pleased!" King Lot cheered happily, "I am more than pleased, in fact! Princess Blaze, I am forever in your debt."

"Think nothing of it, King Lot. For the benefit of our kingdoms, this must be done." Blaze responded happily, but also unsure.

King Titus himself made it apparent that he was puzzled. He subliminally sent her a quick glance of questioning, which Blaze responded with a simple shake of the head.

"So it's settled!" King Lot declared proudly, "Princess Blaze, you have agreed to this upcoming marriage, and the eastern and western kingdoms will be united for the good of all our subjects!"

Queen Vivian clapped her hands joyously. "I shall alert the libraries and messengers of our kingdom to pass it on to yours, King Titus and Princess Blaze."

A swell of mixed emotions stirred in Blaze's stomach, her final decision leaving a heavy mark on her heart. "Thank you."

"Now, King Titus, I would encourage for Princess Blaze to remain here to further acquaint with my son, after all they just met!" King Lot's voice roared amusingly.

Blaze took the opportunity to speak. "I'd love to," she piped in, "After all, I'd love to understand what happens on a daily basis." The real reason was engraved her in her brain. _'If I stay here, I can collect my courage to face Silver when I return...'_

"Oh, by the way father," Rune's voice began, "Before King Titus departures, is it possible for you and him to start a rousing game of croquet?"

King Lot's eyes lifted in attention, "Croquet you say? I can't imagine a better way to close this ordeal!"

King Titus pulled his collar bashfully, "In all honesty, King Lot, I haven't played a single sport in my lifetime, let alone croquet."

"Very well, it is my duty to teach you all of my ways in croquet, I am a professional and I will not hesitate to pass on my knowledge!"

Rune gave an amusing look to Blaze, who giggled in response.

"Let us move, then! Allow me to prepare for this momentous occasion!"

"Please, father, you seem more excited for croquet rather than the actual wedding!" Rune laugh, "At least let me accompany you! Come mother, you can be the score keeper along with the Princess."

Queen Vivian smiled warmly before exiting with a pompous King Lot. Rune turned to Blaze and King Titus happily and said, "Please, talk amongst yourselves, I want you both to settle things with each other, then you can let me know of a real final decision. I know my father can be pushy, so please, settle thing between yourselves."

Blaze nodded, "Thank you, Rune."

The badger left the father and daughter staring at each other, trying to pinpoint each others feelings.

"Father, I know what I said earlier was out of my place, and I'm sorry. I have such a collection of emotions at this time, and I need to share this with you."

King Titus nodded his head, "Please Blaze, let me know."

"I know that as of this morning I made a complete fuss over this marriage, and I know it is quite puzzling for you to know that I've accepted. This prince has expressed nobility during our time together, and now I can't help but feel grateful because of the acts he has done to protect us."

"What?" King Titus questioned, "How so?"

"Father, they recently placed their royal adviser in prison for being treacherous and threatening to invade our kingdom, and it was Prince Rune's idea to unite our kingdoms for further protection."

"I see... but, Blaze, is this what you want?"

The princess dug her face into her hands and sobbed, "I don't what exactly what I want more; the protection that this could offer BOTH of our kingdoms, or the relationship of many years of bonding with my jester... and I know I cannot have both."

King Titus patted Blaze on the back, soon thereafter embracing her into a loving a hug. "What do you feel in your heart, Blaze?"

The princess nuzzled the fluffy material of her father's kingly cape. "I love Silver, father, but... I can't let my subjects down."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I HAVE RETURNED WITH /DRAMA/. Sorry for the wait, I was trying to wrap up the conclusion in my head so I can finish this story. :'D**

**So, a lot has happened here. I hope everything was covered, and there will be some intense moments (even fighting) as the story comes to a climax. So, stay tuned!**


	12. Betrayal

**Betrayal;**

_Days have passed since the arrival of the angelic knight, but no event had made an impact on Silver. The king had returned by this time, but not Blaze. Silver questioned her absence, and the king simply stated that she had a temporary duty in the kingdom of Litha, and there was nothing to fret about. Obeying his command, Silver settled comfortably with that in mind. However, he continues to worry over the knight's haunting reminder._

* * *

><p>Silver paced throughout the corridors of the large castle, detesting the feeling of anxiety and stress. Ever since the encounter with the knight, he couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency. "Good heavens, if he had something to say, he should've told me so I may free myself of worry." The ivory hedgehog snapped.<p>

He glanced at the large doors that lead to the garden, and sighed. "A test of my faith…" he murmured as he pushed them open, taking an eyeful of the beautiful setting. He slowly made his way to the familiar sight of a pink rose bush, and plucked the most beautiful one.

"Blaze, I hope that whatever duty you're attending to, that you're always free of stress." He pleaded soulfully, inhaling the aroma of the rose. A flashback began peering into his brain.

_Silver pushed open two, white doors open; which led to a shaded courtyard; the bushes and trees covered in lush, colorful flowers. Blaze smiled pleasingly, her eyes lifting to the extravagantly adorned pillars of stone that framed the entrance to the garden._

_"Why did you bring me here?" Blaze asked, turning to Silver who examined the courtyard with an admiring eye._

_"Well, Princess, before your royal guards had spotted me, the scent and beauty of this garden seized my senses and I was mesmerized for the longest time. All of my grief and worry vanished…"_

_"That's lovely."_

_"It is, Princess, but the point of bringing you here is to momentarily free yourself of all strain."_

_"I wish I could, but… my duties are severely important. I couldn't possibly…"_

_"It's not healthy, Princess, please… for at least a moment or two?"_

_The kit sighed, ceasing her insistence. Her golden eyes bent to the lovely bush of pink roses, approaching them briefly in a tranquil state. Blaze crouched on her knees and settled herself there, inhaling the roses' aroma._

_"Beautifully pink, I must say." Silver bluffed kindheartedly, "May I?" Silver placed his fingers under one of the roses, awaiting the princesses' response._

_"Go on."_

_Silver plucked a beautifully opened rose; he turned to the princess and placed it on her head, near her pony tail. Blaze smiled, feeling the rose perched on her head._

_"Thank you…"_

Silver felt his heart become heavy at the thought of the princess; he longed for her return and to hold his best friend and lover in his arms. Humorously, he placed the rose near his ear as Blaze did when they were blissful, eight year old children.

"Not much has changed," he noted to himself, "Not including the kisses and extensive hugs." He chuckled, now beginning to stroll towards the fountain of the iconic family. His eyes lifted to the late mother, and then to the small child in her arms. Silver snickered, remembering the small conversation with Blaze the first time they approached the fountain together.

_"That's you, isn't it Blaze?" Silver asked the blushing cat, who nodded slowly._

_"Yes… a long time ago; when my mother was healthy."_

_"I see…"_

_Blaze approached the fountain and sat at its ridge, near her mother, and smiled at the inanimate statue. Silver seated himself next to her, and chuckled; "You must've been a fluffy baby."_

_Blaze punched his arm playfully, "That's not funny."_

_"Yes it is."_

"Why am I doing this?" Silver questioned himself, placing a hand into the fountain, "This is only bringing me more despair."

He began gliding his fingers across the flower infested water, and stared at his rippling reflection, soon thereafter recalling the speech of faith he and Blaze shared. It was something she admired in Silver, and he certainly didn't realize it before, but it sparked something inside of the princess.

"A test… of my faith." He echoed the knight's words, attempting to piece together a meaning in the phrase.

"If it's a test about faith…" he began eagerly, "It's a test of my love for Blaze!" he nearly shouted, hopping up from his seated position. The silvery hedgehog made haste to the corridors of the castle once more, and decided to check up on the library once more.

"My love for Blaze is strong," he panted, "What could possibly happen that would affect that fact?" he questioned, trying not to envelope into dark thoughts. As he ran, the pink rose that was previously perched on his head floated off and landed near the entrance of the castle, where Silver bashed through the doors.

* * *

><p>In the kingdom of Litha, Blaze found herself sitting on a large bed specifically for her stay, twiddling her thumbs. "How am I to approach him…?" she asked herself desperately, "This isn't something I should take lightly."<p>

The purple cat coursed through her hair with a single hand, staring at the floor with an exhausted expression. Her mind was completely filled with thoughts of despair and guilt, knowing that she was going against her true love. "I knew I had a choice…" she murmured, "But I cannot settle easily either way!" she almost belted.

"If I would've chosen Silver, then I could've done the worst for my kingdom and jeopardize our subjects," she sobbed, "and now that I chose Rune, I've done the best for my kingdom… but in the end, I've betrayed my best friend."

Blaze stared at the space next to her, where a bundle of pillows. One of them had a beautiful rose pattern across a pink, fluffy material. "My intentions are pure," she concluded after a train of thought, "I know what is best for my kingdom… and Silver will have to understand that."

With that statement, Blaze's heart began pounding against her chest brutally, causing her to shake. She angrily faced herself in a mirror nearby, looking at her exasperated reflection.

"THEN WHY DO I STILL FEEL THIS WAY?" she demanded perilously, tears of pain streaming down her cheeks. A fire brewed at her fingertips, and the hair on her head prickled upward. She threw an angry punch at the mirror, causing it to shatter on the floor before her.

"Is this out of guilt?" she barked, "Is this out of love? Or perhaps it's out of pain? Why can't I face this issue, and why can't I deny my love for Silver?"

Blaze's golden yellow eyes narrowed towards the same, pink pillow. She felt her body release any form of tension, and her eyes softened.

_"It is, Princess, but the point of bringing you here is to momentarily free yourself of all strain."_

Blaze shakily approached the bed and grabbed the pillow, squeezing it hard against her body. "Silver… I can… _no… I just, I just can't_." she whispered helplessly, tossing the pillow to the side.

"I owe my kingdom the duty of a strong princess who can make the right decisions," she concluded, "I loved you Silver, but I can't fail my subjects, not after everything this kingdom has done to protect us. It would be the fall of my loyalty."

She looked at the pillow again, and sighed. "Silver… if it weren't for the acts of Prince Rune and his nobility… I would've returned to you. I promise you that, my faithful jester."

With that final statement said, Blaze knew what she had to say to Silver when they would encounter again two days from that point. However, her heart never ceased it's throbbing, which left Blaze at a loss for words.

* * *

><p>Silver rushed through the entrance of the library and panted, "Is… is there any," he began winded, "Anything new?"<p>

The lanky bird before him chuckled. "Ah it's you, Silver one. You haven't been yourself lately." He pointed out playfully.

"It's… a matter of urgency," he gasped, "So?"

The bird's eyes narrowed to the desk nervously. "I did receive an intriguing announcement from Litha."

Silver's eyes shrunk at the sound of the kingdom's name. "What, what is happening?" he asked feverishly.

"Well, to begin with, a dangerous prisoner has escaped their grasp and is making his way to the middle of both our kingdoms, and we should be on our best guard."

Silver sighed, shaking his head. "Oh, I see." He murmured, "I suppose that the guards have already begun their heist." He waved a hand to the bird, "Thank you."

"That is not all; Silver… there is another announcement." The bird called out fearfully.

Silver stood still, his ears narrowing in the bird's direction. "What… what is it?" he asked cautiously.

"There… there's a wedding, my boy." The bird responded after a period of silence, "It's to unite the kingdoms of Litha and Siradus…"

Silver turned slowly to the librarian, his eyes glaring directly into his. "To unite… our kingdoms." He repeated coldly.

The bird nodded his head slowly. "It's… the marriage of Prince Rune… and Princess… … Princess Blaze."

Silver couldn't believe the words pouring out of the bird's mouth. _He's saying that my princess… my lover… is getting MARRIED?' _

Silver's quills spiked towards the sealing, and the librarian noticed a blue aura emitting from his ivory fur. "My boy!" he called, "Please, calm yourself!"

Silver gritted his teeth fiercely. "CALM MYSELF?" he roared, "You want me to settle my anger after this event?"

Books and shelves began floating beside him, and the bells of his jester outfit tore off and began ringing loudly. "My princess!" he bellowed tearfully.

"For… ten years of my life…" he stammered, his powers now beginning to resist, "I've loved her… and… she suddenly changes?" he questioned, "This can't be!"

Silver's train of thought only became deeper. "Perhaps... she was forced… maybe this is it! I'm called to save her!" he shouted desperately, the objects that were floating previously now falling onto the ground.

"I'm going to Litha!" he declared, leaving the librarian to shudder in fear. Instead of storming out of the library, the bird saw him levitating away.

"Witchcraft!" the librarian shrieked; staring at the mounds of books piled on top of another.

Just then, a tall, dark, and built hedgehog entered the library with a puzzled expression, "Is everything alright?" he questioned concerned, beginning to pick up the books that fell on the ground.

"Absolutely not!" the librarian squawked, "That silver hedgehog is WITCHCRAFT!"

"I see he has misunderstood me," the hedgehog murmured under his breath, "Allow me to assist you?"

The librarian gave a hasty nod, and began cleaning the aftermath of Silver's rage.

* * *

><p>Silver continued to levitate throughout the kingdom until he reached a wall of guards, he stared at him fearfully. "What is that matter with you?" one of them shouted, staring at the hovering hedgehog.<p>

"It's none of your concern!" Silver barked, "I need to go to the kingdom of Litha, NOW."

"We cannot allow it! For the safety of our subjects, everyone must remain here until the prisoner is captured."

"Do not worry about me," Silver growled, "I need to leave now."

"We cannot, I apologize, but we have strict orders."

Silver stared at them coldly, "You leave me no choice." He lifted a hand to one of the guards and began pulling him away from the others, allowing space for him to escape. The guards all claimed witchcraft and began assisting the threatened guard.

Silver slipped into the now open space and never turned back. One of the guards attempted to make haste, but another said, "Alert the king… if he returns… then he will regret it."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Wow, talk about an intense chapter! Betrayal is a strong feeling, so I allowed a lot of drama in this chapter.**

**Blaze is having quite the turmoil, seeing as how she's thinking of the right decision, but she's denying her heart. **

**Silver is just as stubborn trying to save his princess, but is being blinded by such.**

**What is gonna happen you guys? Stay tuned, and you'll find out!**


	13. Self Control

**Self Control;**

**A chapter focused only on Silver.**

Silver felt his eyes open heavily, and strong a swell of weakness fell upon him. He attempted to look up and register his current position.

"Where am I?" he asked himself feebly, his pupils widening as the darkness of night engulfed his vision.

It was dusk, and for some reason the hedgehog lay silently on a small patch of wild flowers. He mustered the strength to sit up as he lifted his head, surveying the area. He quickly recalled the reasoning for his journey, and tried stand, but failed as his body refused to cooperate.

"Why can't I move?!" he asked blatantly, becoming exceedingly frustrated.

"Because you are drained of power, of course," a voice responded softly.

Silver immediately searched for the hidden voice, "Who's there?!" he asked nervously.

"Calm yourself," the voice snapped, "You'll overwhelm yourself again. Rest your body, Silver."

The hedgehog's golden eyes shrunk, "You know who I am?" he stammered.

"I do," the voice, apparently female, replied, "All of King Titus's subjects know who you are."

An elderly rabbit emerged from a shrouded area, her dark green cloak concealing her face and body. Her visible mouth smiled warmly at the shaken hedgehog, "Welcome."

"Who are you?" Silver repeated with less hostility.

"You don't need to know my name," the elder responded, "Just refer to me as Constance."

"Constance," Silver echoed, "Why – how did I end up here? What happened?" he asked gravely.

"You were abusing your gift," Constance answered, "I found you near the lake, panting and gasping for the slightest amount of air."

"I don't recall any of that," Silver stated puzzled.

"Of course not," the elder chortled hoarsely, "You were blinded by anger at the time."

Silver's eyes narrowed inwardly, an angering frown shaping his lips.

"My princess," he sneered, "Betrayed me." A blue aura began outlining his body once more, and he slowly began to rise. Before Silver could even exhibit any more rage, a thud to him come to his senses.

"Ow!" Silver barked, "What was the meaning of that?!"

"Did you not see your powers dwindling out of control?!" Constance scolded in response, "Are you so blinded by anger that you do not see the harm you're doing to yourself!?"

Silver heaved in and out, feeling feverishly ill for a few moments. The blue aura his body emanated faded, and he slowly landed on the plush surface of flowers. He swooned, resting his weight on his elbows and balling his fists with tears streaming down his face.

"You're allowing your body to revert to its defenses, causing your gifted ability to unleash an uncontrollable rage. Pain and suffering shouldn't ever control your physical nature." Constance warned, however comforting the weeping hedgehog with a soft caress.

"My princess," Silver continuously repeated, "My princess…"

"She is fine," the rabbit insisted, "Is that what you need to hear?"

The intensity of the hedgehog's despair lightened a little, and a small glisten of hope shone is his eyes.

"She's… fine?" Silver asked.

"You're acting like a child," Constance snipped, "Throwing a fit and not holding back. Of course she is fine; nothing threatened her to begin with."

"You don't understand, I love her, and yet she is marrying another… how could you not expect an anger of this altitude?!"

"I do understand," the rabbit responded casually, "However what YOU do not understand is reasoning. Have you considered the mindset of her decision?"

Silver was silent for a moment, and a pout puckered lips. "No," he retorted doubtfully, "I'm not sure if I want to know. Perhaps she considers our love to be a joke, like I am."

The elder nearly laughed in pity. "Oh Silver, this trial clearly has affected you more than it should have. Are you willing to discard everything you know about your love, your princess, just because of an announced marriage?"

"Do you hear yourself?" Silver snorted.

"I ask you, Silver, to look deeper into yourself, and deeper into your knowledge of the princess. You've spent ten years together in a blissful companionship, and you know her intentions and thought process. By placing her in an act of foolish and irrational decision-making alters your knowledge of the princess she is." Constance explained.

"…" Silver's eyes widened, and he slowly understood the words from the elder.

"You need to understand how to control yourself, and reason with all that may stand against you when necessary. Once you've grasped that ability, you will go far."

Silver sighed and rested helplessly on his side, trying to cope with all of the events that were occurring. Everything overwhelmed Silver, and his head grew heavier with every pang of sadness or despair that corrupted his mind.

Suddenly, a small ting of relief flooded his shrouded thoughts, and it was the thought of the princess smiling and laughing, something that he had missed dearly since her departure. He too smiled, trying to remember her face, her voice, her warmth- everything that he held dearly to his heart. Silver stifled a small gasp that released a small flow of tears, and rested calmly.

Constance simply sat there, staring at Silver with a fusion of irritation and sympathy. "He will be persistent, I assume," she spoke quietly, "However he must overcome this before proceeding."

* * *

><p>The scent of a warm meal awoke the Silver's senses and he eagerly opened his eyes. "Blaze?!" he called hopefully, however was quickly disappointed by the elderly female rabbit from the night before.<p>

"Afraid not, m'boy," she chortled, "I haven't had that appeal since fifty years ago!"

Silver attempted to move, however the same physical restraints held him in a seated position. "How will it take for me to recover?"

"Many days," Constance answered reluctantly, "However this is the perfect time to train."

Puzzled, Silver shook his head wildly, "Train?! I can barely move!" he tried to demonstrate his lack of movement before flopping onto his side.

"These exercises do not require movement," Constance sighed sharply, "All you need to perform this is your mind."

Silver squirmed painfully into a seated position once again. "My mind?" he questioned.

"Yes. As you are aware, you have a gifted ability to levitate objects and yourself through a small burst of energy. This is rare because normally gifts like these are only given to souls who will need it." Constance established firmly, "You need to practice controlling it otherwise another outburst is inevitable."

"I think I can control myself now," Silver acknowledged, "I don't think an outburst would be so… likely."

Constance rolled her eyes. "That isn't the point, child- the point is that you need to exercise this gift so you can execute it."

"Alright," Silver finally ceased retaliating, "How do we begin?"

"Focus on that stone," Constance directed, "Understand your gift to manipulate and translate objects. Once you feel that you're ready, attempt to lift it- only with your mind."

Silver was completely bewildered by the idea of lifting things with his mind. It felt absurd to stare at a stone and hope for it to move, and it was apparent in Silver's expression.

"Concentrate," Constance ordered.

"What more is there to do," Silver asked bitterly, "I'm staring at a lifeless object!"

Constance grieved, shaking her head. "You're so capable, why- why are you fighting against your own abilities?!" she questioned strongly, "Why?!"

"This is preposterous, that's why," Silver vented, "I can't just sit here knowing that I can stay by my princess's side and settle things calmly! I miss her!"

Constance paused, absorbing Silver's words carefully. "You're quite loyal to her," she noted lightly, "She's blessed to have a soul like you in her life."

Silver hung his head low, and nodded. "She's a blessing to me in everyway to me as well."

"If you love her, you will take this chance," Constance pleaded, "She, too, is gifted with an unnatural ability to control fire. She's faced her own trials in order to master them, and she would want you to do the same."

Silver's shoulders slumped as he accepted the wisdom of the rabbit. He returned his attention to the stone again and focused. He took a deep breath, and his eyebrow ledges darted inward. He could feel the weight of the object in his head, and he struggled to lift the massive stone. However, he succeeded, and the stone fell loudly onto the ground.

"Well done," the elder said pleasingly, "Again."

Silver glanced at her disbelievingly at first, until she shot a serious glance in his direction. He disdainfully sighed and repeated the process.

For the rest of the day, with meals in between, Silver practiced lifting and releasing the stone. By dusk, he flung the stone and caught it all through his mind. He was quite proud of his progress until the elder chuckled, "Tomorrow we will try something heavier than a stone."

For five days, Silver practiced his powers on many different objects: tree stumps, groups of small animals, even Constance herself was a test subject. Silver particularly enjoyed lifting her high into the sky and keeping her there before teasingly placing her down.

With every day that passed, Silver regained strength- physically and mentally. He was able to walk again after the fifth day, the last day Constance said that he needed to stay.

Silver approached Constance and smiled. "Thank you for your wisdom, and I apologize for my irrational behavior."

"Ah, 'tis natural for love," Constance mused, "But you know now how to control your emotions, and confront hard situations such as this."

Silver nodded his head and gave her a friendly hug, which shocked the elder to an extent. "Take care of yourself," he told her before quickly departing.

Constance smiled warmly, and looked to the skies above. "I've done my part," she whispered.

One of the clouds began to take the shape of the knight, who's head nodded in thanks. "Thank you Constance for preparing Silver."

Constance breathed heavily in and out, and chuckled. "He was quite irritating I'll admit, however he will proceed in faith as he always did."

The clouds then quickly dispersed into random shapes, leaving the elder to hobble away into the woods.

* * *

><p>AN:

HAHA! SO, looks like I'm back in the zone- for the 50th time!

ANYWAY, Constance was pretty cool, huh? And Silver's powers, oh yes!

The climax and ending are just in reach, folks! If you'll stick with me longer I promise you won't regret it! God bless!


End file.
